Sing One You Know
by Girl on the Wing
Summary: [WiP] CHAPTER FIVE ADDED! :) Luke and Lorelai attempt to hide their relationship from all of Stars Hollow, including Rory, as they deal with their increasing feelings for each other.
1. Over Our Heads

**Title:** Sing One You Know

**Author:** Girl on the Wing

**Rating:** PG-13

**Summary:** Another post-finale fic….I couldn't resist :) Luke and Lorelai attempt to hide their relationship from all of Stars Hollow, including Rory, as they deal with their increasing feelings for each other.

**Disclaimer:** Amy Sherman-Palladino owns everything except the plot.

**A/N 1:** Post-season four finale; has nothing from season five in it, since the season five premiere will most likely occur before I finish this.

**A/N 2:** Rory and Dean never slept together, just, as another author put it, had some good old sexual tension. This fic is purely for the benefit of Luke and Lorelai :) Lyrics are from "Sparks", by Coldplay.

**A/N 3:** Because I am a complete and total idiot, and I am not well-versed enough in the GG lore, and I just recently got back into my GG and L/L obsession….sigh Look, Luke didn't build Lorelai's house, all right? Builders built it. House builders. Okay?

**Sing One You Know **

Chapter One 

_Did I drive you away? _

_I know what you'll say, _

_You'll say 'Oh, sing one you know…_

_But I promise you this, _

_I'll always look out for you, _

_Yeah, that's what I'll do …_

Somehow, the ceiling seemed incredibly interesting this particular night. As the moonlight streamed in through the thin curtains, Lorelai stared at up at the swirled ceiling above her, her arms folded across the covers pulled up to her chest. She had already decided over the last two hours that the builders of the house must've been very bored during the job, for the ceiling was far more detailed than she'd ever realized, and really, who would spend their time making a ceiling any more interesting than it already was, which was not at all, unless they were incredibly bored? This led her to the conclusion that the builders must've also been working during the summer and had been very thirsty, for if she squinted she could make out the shape of a water droplet in nearly every swirl of the concrete. From this, Lorelai began to think that if the builders had been bored and hot and thirsty while they were building her house, they had probably not been paying very close attention to the job they were doing. Lorelai frowned, rubbing her eyes. She was beginning to worry. In fact, the builders had probably not cared to do a good job at all. Just another house, another paycheck, right? _Oh my God, the roof is going to cave in on my head._

It took only this thought for Lorelai to throw off the covers and pad down the stairs to Rory's room, where she poked her sleeping daughter in the side until she blinked and looked around groggily. "What – Mom, what are you doing?"

"We have to leave. Now," Lorelai whispered. "What?" Rory propped herself up on her elbows and stared at Lorelai as though she'd grown a second head. "Mom, it's four in morning. We're not going anywhere."

"We have to," Lorelai insisted. "The builders were really hot and tired while they were making our house and didn't pay attention to what they were doing at all, and the roof is going to cave in because all they wanted was a drink of water and they left a message imbedded in the ceiling!"

Rory looked at her mother, to the ceiling, then back to Lorelai, and said, "I think we'll be all right." With that, she turned over and pulled the covers over her head.

Lorelai stood with her hips and her hands, obviously torn between waking Rory again to have someone to share her roof troubles with and letting her much more reasonable daughter sleep. Lorelai pursed her lips, then went out to the couch and settled herself onto it, pulling the blanket off the back and hugging it tighter to her. She knew she was being ridiculous; she couldn't help it after not being able to sleep well for the past week. She'd been tossing and turning ever since that night on the porch at the Dragonfly…Lorelai watched the shadows playing on the wall from the small light in the kitchen, trying to collect her thoughts. She'd barely seen a glimpse of Luke since then, only when she rushed into the diner for a quick cup of coffee while handling things at the Dragonfly. In a way, Lorelai was almost glad the inn was keeping her so busy; she wanted desperately to see Luke again, to talk to him, but she was so scared at what might happen, what she would say…what _had_ happened that night?

With a sigh, Lorelai glanced up at the roof unconsciously. Realizing what she was doing as the light reflected around her, she shook her head and tried to ignore the looming disaster above her and focus. She would have to face Luke at one time or another, she knew…Lorelai wasn't even sure why she was so scared to be around him now. Every time he looked at her, his eyes sparked with half-annoyance, half-concern, she felt something twist inside her, as though igniting something she'd kept away from everyone for a very long time. No one had ever made that happen before with just a look. That was only one of the things that made her so excited, and yet so nervous, about starting something with Luke. She knew this was different than Chris, or Max, or Jason, or any of those. This was _Luke_. Coffee Luke! Grumpy, backwards-baseball cap-wearing Luke! _Her_ Luke. Lorelai was startled at the last thought than came into her mind, but it was true…this was, after all, Luke.

Lorelai rolled over and frowned, settling her head against the pillow in frustration. If this was Luke, the guy she'd known and loved and felt something even more about now, why was she having such a problem with it?

_Because I'm insane and can't appreciate a good thing when it comes up and kisses me on my doorstep, that's why_, she thought, grumbling. Her eyes drifted to the Felix clock on the wall, where they widened to see it was already five AM. She sighed and kicked the blanket off, heading upstairs as slowly as possible.

_It's going to be a hell of a long day._

* * *

The diner was buzzing with early-morning customers when Lorelai stepped inside, light streaming through the blinds, revealing the bustle already happening around the tiny town of Stars Hollow. Lorelai heard the tiny bell on the door affirm her arrival, and she wove her way through the tables of newspapers and bagels and people chattering _awfully_ loud for so early in the morning, when she found herself nearly bumping into a wall of flannel. She looked up to meet Luke's gaze, and for a moment, Lorelai saw something flash behind his brown eyes, something she recognized as the same thing she'd seen the only time they'd stood this close before. She was suddenly aware, _very_ aware, of how close Luke was, how she knew she would be able to feel him beside her if she closed her eyes, and she was suddenly even more aware that they were standing in a crowded diner, surrounded by townspeople who could see their every move, and Lorelai stepped back, putting some space between herself and Luke. She could see the same relief she felt behind his eyes, and she gave him what she hoped was a comforting smile. "Hi," she said.

"Hi," Luke replied, adjusting his baseball cap, like he always did when he was nervous. Lorelai loved that she knew exactly how he fidgeted at times like these, and she leaned against the counter as Luke went behind it. "Here for your early-morning dose of caffeine, I assume?" As he spoke he pulled out a Styrofoam cup and poured the steaming coffee into it.

"Just like the morning and later-morning doses," Lorelai said with a smile. "And of course, there's the one at brunch, as well as lunch, early afternoon, mid-afternoon, and sometimes that hour right before dinner, but they don't seem to have named that one yet." She took the cup and sipped it, warmth sliding down her throat. She looked up at Luke, and the intensity of his expression as he watched her startled her. "What? Never seen an addict get her fix before?"

This seemed to nudge Luke out of his daze, for he shook his head and started wiping the counter furiously, another nervous tick, doing his best to squashing all the invisible crumbs. "I have, and far too often," he retorted. Lorelai grinned and took another sip. "We are nothing if not consistent," she said, and picked up the cup, pulling her hair back behind her shoulders. "Well, it's off to the Inn of Innumerable Things to Do and Fix for me," she said. Luke scrubbed the counter with the dishrag, not noticing its lack of any sort of dirt to its purpose.

"I might be by later to drop off some stuff for Tom," Luke said, his voice trying to keep down any hint of any sort of prospect other than that very one. Lorelai glanced at him as she headed for the door, coffee in hand, and was amused to see the dishrag doing overtime on the counter. "Okay," she said, tossing him another smile, and then turning and hurrying out the door.

Lorelai was grateful for the sun against her face as she headed to the inn, and she took another sip of coffee to calm herself down. At least this morning hadn't been _too_ awkward…she remembered the first time they'd seen each other after than night at the Dragonfly. Searching for words, neither could come up with anything to say, suffice Luke handing her her coffee and grunting, "It's on the house," something Lorelai knew he said only for the sake of hearing it.

Lorelai opened the door to the inn and bypassed a couple checking out with Michel as she headed behind the desk and began rifling through the morning's papers. "Morning, Michel," she said, surveying bank statements and scrunching her eyes together, trying to make sense of it. "Good morning," Michel intoned. He flashed a freakishly wide smile to the couple as they left and said, "Your mail arrived." "I can see that," Lorelai said, flipping through the rest of the thick envelopes.

"It is all bills." Michel sounded pained as he said it. "Why can't the insurance company give us money, I ask you? A nice change of pace, don't you think?"

"I do think, but the insurance company probably doesn't share that point of view, Michel." Lorelai set down the bills and checked the schedule for the day. More furniture arriving at eight, a few more guests due at eight-thirty…even though the official test run was over, the Dragonfly was still accepting a few visitors to continue working out all the kinks. Lorelai sighed and surveyed the full day of work ahead of her.

"I give and I give and I give…" Michel ranted. "Is it so much to ask for them to give a little back?" "They do give back, Michel," Lorelai explained patiently. "If the inn ever burns down, they will give back lots and lots."

"I do not want to wait for that to happen," Michel grumbled. "I want them to give me money now." He seemed utterly put off by the insurance company's lack of generosity, and Lorelai left him to his woes as she started to make the rounds of the inn, the first in a long line of tasks awaiting her.

It was nearly four hours later when Lorelai wandered into the kitchen, her first break all day, where Sookie was washing the last of the breakfast dishes. Sookie looked up as Lorelai came in, still clutching her coffee.

"Hey there. Made a visit to Luke's already this morning, huh?" Sookie's plump face smiled, indicating Lorelai's coffee. "What? Oh, right…yeah, can't keep me away from the stuff." Lorelai forced a smile and pushed away any other implications of Sookie's comment out of her mind. _There's no way she could know. Calm down, jeez._ Lorelai perched on the edge of the counter as Sookie rinsed the plates. "So, I think the test run went really well, don't you?" She took a sip of her coffee, watching the dishes absentmindedly. "Definitely," Sookie agreed. "You should be really proud, sweetie. The inn is fantastic." She turned and grinned at Lorelai, who snapped at of her daze. "Yeah, of course. I mean, I hope so," Lorelai kicked herself as soon as the tumble of words came out of her mouth, and tried to make sense. "It wouldn't happened without you, you know. I can't do this alone." Lorelai returned Sookie's smile as her own words began to sink in. _I can't do it alone_.

Sookie peered at Lorelai, her eyes full of concern. "Are you all right, hon? You look tired."

"I haven't been sleeping well," Lorelai admitted. "It's nothing, though. Just distracted, I guess." Sookie patted her knee, not noticing the soapy stain it left on Lorelai's dark blue pants. "Well, the inn is almost ready, everything's in order, we're only a few days away from opening our very own place! Just like we always talked about." A wistful smile came over her face. "It'll be fine, Lorelai. Are you sure there's nothing else bothering you?" Lorelai looked over at her and felt guilty at keeping the secret from her best friend, but smiled and nodded, taking another sip of coffee.

"Um, it's empty." Sookie pointed to the cup in Lorelai's hand. Lorelai peered inside. "Oh. Right. Well, waste not, right? Taylor would be proud." She forced a grin and threw the cup away on her way out of the kitchen, unable to stay in the kitchen with Sookie one moment longer.

Lorelai hurried outside, bursting through the back doors to stand in the coolness of the Connecticut air, surrounded by lofty green trees and a shadowed blue sky. She took in a deep breath, covering her face with her hands and closing her eyes, trying desperately to focus. _Why can't I do this, damn it?!_ The world around was silent except for the occasional chirp of a bird hidden in the deep branches of the surrounding forestry, and Lorelai tried to allow the calmness to sink into her. She felt her breathing slow and her shoulders relax, and she gazed through the trees at nothing, her mind occupied. She folded her arms across her chest as a chill went through her.

Lorelai was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't even hear the approaching footsteps from the inn. When someone appeared beside her, she gave a start and looked up. "Oh my God! Luke – Luke. You scared me half to death." Her heartbeat immediately quickened at being near him, and he was unable to help the small smile playing across his face. "Sorry," he said, his hand at her elbow. "Are you okay?"

She nodded too quickly, rubbing her arms, and their hands briefly touched. She dropped her arms and he pulled away, and Lorelai tried to brush over the awkwardness of the moment. "I'm fine. Just needed a break, I guess." She looked up at his face, lined with concern, and his worry it touched something inside her. Luke nodded and stood beside her, neither saying anything for a few moments.

Then, Luke broke the silence, and Lorelai was all too eager to talk about something, _anything_. "I just, uh, came by to give Taylor his papers," he said, then realized what it sounded like. "I mean, not that I didn't want to see you, I just…" he broke off, and Lorelai looked away.

"It's just, Lorelai…" Luke didn't seem to know what he wanted to say, but he kept going. "I did want to see you," he said softly. Lorelai closed her eyes at these words, words she had wanted so badly to hear from him for so long, and she was sure he couldn't possibly have meant that the way she thought he had when she felt his hand cup her face, and his soft touch against her cheek. She shuddered as his thumb brushed her lips gently, and when she met his eyes, she was terrified, wanting to know everything would work out fine, that this would work out, that it would work…she hesitated for a moment, then leaned up and met his lips with hers in a soft and unsure kiss. Her hand pressed against the rough stubble of his face and his hand slid to her waist, his fingertips smooth against her bare skin where her shirt rose above her pants, and she tensed at his touch, but did not move away.

"Lorelai! Lorelai?" A voice called from somewhere inside the Dragonfly, and they broke apart, Lorelai feeling a little dizzy. Her eyes met Luke's, but she couldn't read his expression. Suddenly, Sookie appeared at the edge of the inn. "There you are. Michel is having a fit. Something about the insurance company?"

Lorelai sighed, half-scared that Sookie had seen them and half-glad that they'd been interrupted. When he had touched her waist, when she felt his hands moving against her body…she wasn't sure how to react. Lorelai looked up at Sookie and nodded. "I'll be right there. Take the bills away from him, that should calm him down a bit." Sookie went back inside, and Lorelai and Luke stood once more in awkward silence.

"I – I should go," Luke said, almost apologetically. Lorelai gave him a frustrated smile. "Yeah, I should get back to work…you know Michel. Numbers make him jumpy." Luke returned her smile. They headed back to the inn together, and Lorelai was about to go to a hysterical Michel in the office when Luke took her elbow, and she jumped at the jolt of his touch. She stopped and looked up at him, and he said, "Can you come by tonight? I'll close the diner early."

Lorelai felt a smile creeping over her face, and she allowed it to surface. "Sure," she said, trying to hide how happy she was that he'd asked her. In all truth, she probably would've shown up whether he'd asked or not, but just that he'd cared enough to make sure…Luke returned her smile and let go of her, leaving quickly.

Lorelai exhaled and closed her eyes. Being around Luke like this was…she felt like an idiot for using the word, but, well, _intoxicating_. All she wanted to do was kiss him again, feel his hands against her body, but fear crept in somehow at this urging, and she found herself shying away.

Lorelai sighed. She would just have to wait and see what happened tonight.

* * *

Whew! First chapter after tons of little rewrites, finally :) I would muchly appreciate it if y'all left constructive criticism and the like....it's the only way an author knows if her work is being read!


	2. Us

**Disclaimer:** Amy Sherman-Palladino owns everything except the plot.

**A/N:** First of all, massive thank you's to everyone who reviewed at and at the javajunkies LJ community; I appreciate your comments so much! **Ewan's girl1**, I totally see what you mean and I am glad you pointed that out; I've worked on the characterization more for this chapter and I might even go back and do a slight rewrite on chapter one. Thank you all and keep those comments coming! :)

**Sing One You Know **

Chapter Two 

There was nothing on TV, as usual. Lorelai could not understand for the life of her why a person needed so many news channels. Honestly, one or two would suffice, and that would make room for more Lifetime movies and Extra! reruns.

Lorelai sat with her feet curled beneath her, aimlessly flipping through channels, checking the clock every few minutes. She had figured she's show up at Luke's around ten, since he usually closed at eleven, but seeing how it was only seven-thirty and Rory had not yet returned from Lane's house, Lorelai was bored out of her mind.

An idea suddenly struck her as a woman with too-big hair pleaded with Lorelai to donate to the PBS telethon. Lorelai smiled and picked up the phone. If she wasn't going to be able to see Luke til tonight, why not bother him now?

She dialed the number she'd known by heart ever since she could remember, and the phone rang twice before Lorelai heard a mumbling Taylor in the background and Luke barking, "Taylor, if you touch that napkin dispenser one time, I _will_ kill you." Lorelai giggled as Luke came back to the phone. "Hello?"

"Taylor trying to smooth all the napkins in the box again?" she said not entirely sympathetically. She could almost hear him frowning through the phone. "He doesn't understand that napkins get wrinkled when you pull them out of the dispenser, and he keeps trying to stuff them in all perfect, and he's getting my napkins everywhere!" Luke sounded utterly frustrated and Lorelai had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. "I'm sorry you're forced to put up with Taylor and his napkin obsession."

"It's not your fault," Luke grumbled. Lorelai gave a small smile. "No, I guess not," she said, cradling the phone to her shoulder.

There was silence for a moment between them, and Lorelai stared at her hands in her lap, trying to figure out something to say. But before she could come up with anything, Luke spoke in a tone she recognized as more serious than his normal voice. "Listen, Lorelai, I..." Luke hesitated, and Lorelai was tempted to ask him what, but she didn't want to interrupt him. "I - TAYLOR!" Lorelai held the phone away from her ear as Luke gave a shout at Taylor's latest antics. "He's – DON'T YOU DARE – he's organizing the salt shakers! He's comparing them by how filled they are!" Luke was hysterical, and this time Lorelai did laugh, but luckily Luke was too caught up in being angry at Taylor that he didn't hear her. He returned to the phone and said quickly, "Can I talk to you later? I've got to stop him."

Lorelai grinned. "Of course. Tonight, right?"

Luke's voice softened. "Tonight."

"Okay." Lorelai felt a chill run through her at his voice taking on that sound, something it felt like he reserved especially for her. "Bye."

"Bye, Lorelai. TAYLOR, I WILL TAKE THAT NAPKIN AND SHOVE IT DOWN YOUR –"The phone hung up.

Lorelai hugged her knees to her and returned to the PBS telethon. She stuck her tongue out at the big-haired woman on PBS and picked up the remote, flipping through channels again. She was just starting a third run-through when she heard the front door open, and a moment later Rory appeared in the living room. She plopped down next to Lorelai and glanced at the television. "Donating to PBS?"

"Yeah, well, this woman is threatening to kill me with her hair if I do not pledge one hundred dollars to the cause." Lorelai frowned at the woman. "Her suit might blind you first," Rory observed.

Lorelai hadn't even noticed her suit until now. "You're right. Don't they call it 'puce' or something equally disgusting?"

"Probably." Rory settled against the arm of the couch.

"So, how's Lane?" Lorelai propped her feet up on her daughter's lap.

"She's been better. Her mom found the Pringles."

"Uh-oh."

"Exactly." Rory looked genuinely worried. "Ms. Kim had a fit. She started yelling something about carbohydrates and how only boys and Satanists ate Pringles, and how there was no difference between the two, and how the little man on the Pringles can was a symbol of teenage lust."

"Oh, no."

"Yep. When I left Lane was backed into the antique bureau with Ms. Kim waving the crushed Pringles can in her face."

"Good thing you got out of there," Lorelai said. "Can you imagine what would happen if Ms. Kim raided our pantry?"

"It would be a war zone."

"Might be funny. We should invite her over for dinner sometime."

Rory looked horrified. "Don't you dare. I'd never be allowed to see Lane again."

"True. It just might be worth it, though. Just to see the look on her face" Lorelai scrunched up her eyes, trying to imagine the scene, and Rory rolled her eyes. "You do realize you would be scattered in a million tiny pieces all over our kitchen by the time she finished with you. I could fit you in a Pringles can."

"Hmm. I didn't think of that. You're right," Lorelai decided. "Cancel the Ms. Kim invite."

"Good. Now, I'm going to go upstairs and get a shower...I'm exhausted." Rory pushed her mother's feet to the floor. "What are we doing tonight?"

Lorelai froze. She knew exactly what she was planning on doing tonight, but something inside her kept her from explaining everything to Rory. She felt guilty at keeping the secret, but this...thing, whatever it was, with Luke, was something she didn't even have a hold on yet, let alone something she felt she could burden anyone else with. "Ah, well, actually, I have to go to Luke's."

Rory started to head upstairs. "Luke's for dinner, then."

"Um, well, actually, it's just...me. I have to go." Lorelai knew this sounded terrible even to her own ears. Rory paused on the stairway. "You have to go alone to Luke's?"

"Well. Yes."

Rory looked puzzled. "Why?"

"I – well, because he wanted to talk to me aboutâ€about fixing some stuff at the inn. You know, just last minute renovations. Nothing interesting."

Rory hesitated, and Lorelai held her breath to see if she believed it – God, was she really doing this, lying to her own daughter and waiting to see if she bought it? A wave of guilt washed over Lorelai, just as Rory shrugged. "All right. We can have pasta tonight, then. I have some reading I've been wanting to do anyway." She continued upstairs.

As soon as she was gone, Lorelai let out a huge sigh of relief. She knew it was horrible to lie to Rory like that, but something inside her just couldn't bring her to tell Rory about what had happened that night at the Dragonfly, or where – wherever it was – things were progressing to from there.

* * *

Stars Hollow was cool at night as Lorelai walked quickly down the street, her head down and hands stuffed in her pockets. She was glad for the suede jacket she wore over her thin top, as a breeze was starting to pick up. She was nervous about tonight, and it wasn't even a real date! They were just going to talk, right? Lorelai sighed and quickened her pace.

She was so lost in thought she didn't even notice Babette walking toward her on the same sidewalk, and was startled when they nearly bumped into each other.

"Babette! Oh my God, I'm so sorry. I didn't see you there."

Babette smiled. "It's all right, honey, my vision isn't what it used to be." She chuckled at the idea of her getting old. What are you doing out this late?"

Lorelai smiled. "I could ask you the same thing."

Babette waved her hand dismissively. "I was just heading home from a late-night dance session at Ms. Patty's. Kirk insisted he could do the MC Hammer better than the two of us. Well," she confided in Lorelai, "You know how that turned out."

Lorelai grinned in spite of herself, until Babette continued, "So you haven't answered my question, darling. Where are you off to in these ungodly hours of the night?"

"Babette, it's barely ten."

"It feels later. I'm exhausted after showing Kirk up so badly."

"Well, I was just heading over to Luke's." Lorelai shifted her weight from foot to foot, watching Babette, the town gossip's, reaction.

"Oh, I think he closed early tonight, honey. The lights were off when I went by. And I wanted a little goodnight ice cream." Babette frowned.

"Oh. Well, I'll just see if he's still there. I have a coffee jones." Lorelai tried to make this the end of the conversation, but Babette wasn't letting her by so easily.

"Your machine broken?" she inquired, not unkindly.

"We're all out. You know how Rory and I go through the stuff." Lorelai gave her a quick smile. Babette patted her arm. "Well, good luck. Tell him he owes me some ice cream."

"Will do." Lorelai smiled at Babette and the two headed their separate ways. Lorelai walked as quickly as she could without Babette noticing until she found herself in front of the diner. Indeed, the lights were off except for a tiny lamp light behind the counter. Lorelai rapped on the door, looking around to see if Taylor was making any late-night rounds. Luckily, when she turned back to the door, she found Luke's face smiling at her from through the blinds. He opened the door and she slipped inside, pausing briefly in the doorframe and glancing up at his nearness, feeling his body heat radiating into her. She moved away from him and settled herself on a barstool at the counter, where Luke walked behind it. "So, what can I get for you?" he said, resting on his arms on the counter. Lorelai watched the shadows dancing on his face from the light behind him and smiled. "Hmm. I'm feeling rather caffeine-deprived tonight."

"Do you ever feel anything other than caffeine-deprived?" Luke said, getting the coffee with his usual air of disapproval.

"Sometimes I feel danish-deprived as well. Or donut-deprived. Really, I was deprived as a child. Made me all funny." She tapped the side of her head as Luke slid the coffee cup across to her.

"That explains a lot," Luke commented, watching her as she took a long sip. She set the coffee cup on the counter.

"You know, if I didn't like you so much, I might be offended," Lorelai said with a grin, as the realization of what she'd said sunk in. She looked down at the dark liquid swirling in the cup, trying to think of anything to fix what had popped out of her mouth, but nothing came. She looked up again to see Luke's eyes on her, and shifted uncomfortably. "So, Babette wanted me to pass along the message that you owe her –"

Lorelai didn't get to finish, because suddenly Luke's lips were on hers and everything around her dropped away. She leaned into his kiss, more passionate than gentle, and she felt her hand come up and hold his face as his hands tangled through her hair. Lorelai felt her stomach flip as they kissed urgently, hungrily, and after several moments broke away, both out of breath. Lorelai stared at Luke; the look in his eyes was one she had never seen before. Something burned behind his eyes that she had never seen before, and it was both scary and encouraging. Lorelai leaned forward and closed her lips over his as the kiss resumed, and all she wanted then was him, right here, right now, just to be with him. Lorelai felt something pressing uncomfortably against her stomach, and she realized it was the sharp edge of the counter driving into her stomach. They broke away once more and she smiled at Luke. "Why don't you come over here so this evil countertop isn't taking away from the whole experience. Luke permitted her a smile in return. "I'll make sure it punish it for its actions later," he said as he came around the counter and he had no sooner reached her than taken her face in his hands and kissed her desperately. His hands slid down to her waist, kneading her hips, and Lorelai felt dizzy and slid slowly off the barstool so she was standing and put her arms around him as the kiss intensified. Her heartbeat quickened at his fingertips against her hips, a sensation both soft and incredible, and she pulled away, but they remained touching foreheads as Luke held her. "Luke, this...this thing. What are we doing?" she said softly, breathing hard.

"I don't know," Luke said, and she looked up into his eyes, searching them for an answer to the question she _needed_ an answer to. "But I want it. I want – I want you."

Lorelai felt something tug at her at these words, and she touched his face softly, letting her fingertips brush over his lips as he kissed them one by one. She knew how much it had taken for him to tell her that so straightforward, leaving no room for doubt in her mind of what he hoped she felt as well.

"I want you too," she said, and whatever it was tugged harder when she realized the truth in these words, and how much it scared her. "But whatever this is...it's you, and me, and...it's us." She looked up at him once more and found some comfort in his eyes as they tried to make sense of the situation.

"That's the general idea," Luke agreed, and Lorelai laughed against his lips. "I suppose it is," she said quietly. Luke looked at her carefully.

"Lorelai, what's wrong? Do you not...do you not want this?"

Lorelai sighed, feeling horrible for making him think such a thing.

"No, yes, of course I do. I just" her voice grew even softer as her arms around his neck tightened. "I don't want to ruin us. You know? What we already had. Cause, we had something really good, Luke." She gave him a quick smile and felt tears brimming behind her eyes, but she refused to let herself cry in front of him, and she bit them back. "I mean...our friendship. I wouldn't...I wouldn't give that up for anything." She closed her eyes tightly, trying desperately to keep back the tears threatening to fall at any moment.

Luke touched her face softly, holding his hand to her cheek, and Lorelai thought she might break down right there and then at his gentleness. "You don't have to give that up," he said hoarsely. "You don't have to give up anything. You just have to trust me, Lorelai. You've been doing it for so long, what's the problem with doing it now?" He smiled at her and she leaned into his touch as a single tear rolled down her cheek, and he brushed it away with his thumb.

"I don't know," Lorelai admitted, unable to look in his eyes now. Instead, she stared out at the empty streets of Stars Hollow, her mind a mess. She felt so right, so perfect in his arms like this, and it was so natural it made even scarier. "Luke, I...what if I hurt you? What if we get into some stupid fight and I end up pushing you away, and we never speak to each other again and I can never come into the _diner_ again and I'll be so coffee-deprived I'll just shrivel up and die?"

Luke touched her chin gently, lifting it to try to allow her to meet his eyes, which she did after a moment of hesitation. "First of all, although I might deprive of you coffee, I would find some other liquid substance to sustain your life, I promise."

Lorelai smiled. "But it wouldn't be the same. My body can't function on anything but coffee."

"That may be so," Luke said gruffly, "but we'd find a way. Just like we would find a way to fix it if we ever get into a fight. You could never hurt me enough to keep me away, Lorelai. I promise that, too."

Lorelai tried to smile again, but she still felt unsure. After all, this was, as she had reminded herself a hundred times, Luke. It wasn't the same; the same rules didn't apply. This was...this was the two of them, together in a way they had never been before. Lorelai had to admit she was terrified of what might happen.

She bit her lip and looked at Luke, and gave him a quick smile. "I know. You're right, I just...I haven't had enough coffee today is all. And I lied to Rory about coming here tonight...oh, shit." She sighed and rubbed her eyes. "I can't believe I did that."

"You haven't told her about us, yet?"

Lorelai looked up, noticing his use of the word 'us', and her smile grew wider. "I haven't told her anything. I don't know why, I just...I feel like I have to guard this thing carefully, you know. This _thang_ of you and me. Us." She grinned at him as he rolled his eyes at her use of 'thang'.

"I know what you mean," Luke said, rubbing her arms. "I would rather not have Babette and Miss Patty giggling about me every time they come in, or Kirk asking if we want to go on a skiing trip with him and Lulu, or Taylor giving me that weird look like I've just done something he actually approves of" Luke seemed especially put off by the last one.

"So...it's a secret, then. _Us._" Lorelai grinned again.

"Will you stop saying 'us' like that?" Luke said in an annoyed voice Lorelai knew was only for her benefit, to see him properly disapproving. "You know what I meant."

"Ah, you might have to clarify that one, mister. What exactly did you mean when you referred to us as, well, us?"

Luke looked even more annoyed. "We're getting off-topic. You know what I meant. I meant...you and me. Us. What does 'us' mean, Lorelai?"

She laughed at the amount of discomfort this seemed to be causing him and touched his face gently. "Calm down, I was just trying to see how worked up you'd get before you finally threw me out of here. It's after hours and all" the laughter in her eyes danced as she watched him, and finally he permitted her a half-annoyed smile.

"Anyway, I should be going as it is...I told Rory we were just going to talk about fixing some stuff at the inn. I don't want her to think anything." Lorelai reluctantly slid out of Luke's arms and headed toward the door. Luke opened it for her and she stepped into the cool night air, turning to look at Luke perched in the doorway. "So. Secret?"

Luke nodded. "For now," he said. She leaned in and kissed him gently, her fingertips brushing his face quickly. As she pulled away and smiled at him, ready to head off into the night, he stopped her. "And, Lorelai"

She turned around, standing on the sidewalk. The expression on Luke's face she could not define as one emotion; it was a mix of concern, hesitation, and, if she wasn't mistaken, confusion. "About what you said earlier...about us," and this time, neither laughed when he said it, and he continued, "about us getting into a fight or something...well, are you sure you're okay?"

The nervousness Lorelai had been fighting to keep away those fears that always troubled her around Luke came back, and she forced a grin and said, "I'm fine. I'll see you tomorrow. And I expect you to be bearing coffee."

Luke returned her grin and said, "As if I had any choice in the matter."

Lorelai started for home, and ten minutes later she unlocked the door to the house and let herself in quietly, unwilling to wake Rory if she was sleeping. Lorelai peeked into Rory's room to find her daughter asleep with her bedside lamp on and a copy of _War and Peace_ still open in front of her. Lorelai made a mental note to try and convince her daughter that the book was by no means a must-read purely on the account of length and those funny Russian writers, and turned off the lamp, setting the book on the table. She smoothed Rory's hair and kissed her on the forehead before closing the door behind her as she headed upstairs.

* * *

Wah, chapter two done! I loved writing this chapter; it's my favorite so far. Since, you know, there's only two chapters and I have so many to choose a favorite from...anyway, I appreciate ALL your comments so much, thank you! Keep those reviews comin'!


	3. Early to Rise

**Disclaimer:** Amy Sherman-Palladino owns everything except the plot.

**A/N 1: **First off, I could not be happier that you guys are enjoying the story and reading and reviewing it! I was a bit nervous about this whole thing, it being my first GG fic (Before I'd only written HP) and I didn't want to total the L/L relationship, and the fact that you guys like the fic is so encouraging! A thousand hundred million thank you's to everybody! **Damnmydooah**, thanks for the tip about Luke's eyes, for some reason I didn't even catch that. :) **Rectorgirl**, I totally know what you mean about focusing on the L/L scenes; that's all I want to hear about too! :)

**Sing One You Know **

Chapter Three

Rory stepped inside the inn carrying three bulky plastic bags and narrowly avoiding a muttering Michel as he swept outside, casting her a dirty glance as he left. Rory managed to make it to the front desk, where her mother stood lost in thought with a large datebook open in front of her, and collapse the bags atop the datebook. Lorelai jumped three feet in the air when the bags came crashing down and Rory couldn't help laughing in spite of herself.

"Jumpy, are we?"

Lorelai put a hand to her chest and calmed down. "Only when we are startled out of our wits by our daughter throwing large bags of God knows what on top of our list of dates for an inn that we own that is a week away from opening so we can continue to feed our family!"

Rory looked at her mother carefully. "Are you okay, mom? Because, they're just videos. In the bags. They won't bite, I promise." She picked a video out of the bag and showed it to Lorelai as one might do when explaining to a three year-old that the swings won't thrash out and kill you on their own.

"Thank you, my dear daughter, for mocking the woman who birthed you in her old age." Lorelai stood for a moment, then shook her head and laughed. "Nah, I can't. Me, old!" Rory rolled her eyes.

"So, what were you thinking about so hard when I interrupted you by placing videos on the desk?"

"You didn't _place_ them, Rory darling, you cascaded them. And I wasn't thinking about anything. Just dozing off. Michel isn't here to keep me awake with his whining." She smiled at Rory and started to open the bags, now sure that they weren't going to attack her. "So, whatcha get?"

"Don't change the topic. What were you..." a look of recognition suddenly dawned on Rory's face. "Hang on. Are you..." she leaned in closer and couldn't help the grin forming on her face. "Are you still dating Luke?"

Lorelai dropped the video she'd picked up in the bag. "What? No – I mean – I don't know. I – I don't know." She sighed. "I'm not sure."

"Hence the twelve 'I don't knows'."

"No wonder you go to Yale."

Rory opened her mouth to reply, but just as she did Michel came hurrying through the front door in a very bored manner, as he always did everything, a fact that Rory found slightly fascinating. Lorelai looked up and said. "Michel! Where have you been?"

Michel looked peeved. "I was wrestling with those horrific beasts you keep in the padlock. They were threatening me."

"Aww, did they blink their little brown eyes and flare their nostrils at you?" Lorelai sympathized.

"Or even swish their soft tails at you?" Rory worried.

Michel didn't even acknowledge their replies. "They were mocking me. I was trying to reason with one of them to go inside the padlock and the other was just standing there _mocking me_."

"Maybe they were just kidding around," Rory said.

"Yeah, you know horses, Michel, world-class practical jokers. You go in to sweep the hay, they dump a bucket of water on your head. What can you do?" Lorelai rested her chin on her hand at this existential question.

Michel glared at her. "I know when I am being mocked. They were watching me with their evil, beady eyes and their stupid sleek coats and they were laughing at my attempts as an inferior human to reason with them on the same level –"

"I'm sorry, did Michel just admit he's inferior?" Lorelai looked at Rory, then back at Michel. "Did everyone hear that? Because, I'm writing it on the calendar." Rory knew she was serious as Lorelai hunched over the datebook.

"If you do that I will release those smelly creatures in the inn and let you feel jeering gaze for awhile," Michel said calmly.

"Michel! You wouldn't!"

"You have no idea," Michel said dryly. He turned his back very deliberately as he stalked into the dining room.

Lorelai grinned as she watched him, then turned her attention back to Rory. "Well, I'd better get back to work before Michel turns the Clydesdales loose. I'll see tonight, okay, babe?" Rory picked up the video bags.

"But I didn't even get to show you what I got."

"Surprise me."

Rory grinned. "Whatever you say. And hey!" she called as she backed out of the inn.

"What?"

"Don't think you're getting off the hook about you-know-who so easy!" And with that, she was gone.

Lorelai sighed. Lying to Rory wasn't quite like lying to anyone else in the world, and she knew she'd have to find someway to tell her what was going on sooner or later. Preferably later, but she knew Rory wouldn't let her get far. Lorelai tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and stared at the datebook. She and Luke had agreed not to tell anyone, and that was what Lorelai was comfortable with. She was starting to remember, however, that Rory wasn't just anyone.

* * *

Around six that evening, Lorelai came bounding into the diner wearing a black tank top and what looked very much to Luke like pajama pants. He stared at her as she jumped on a stool at the counter, nearly jabbing Taylor with her elbow as he paid. She ignored the dirty look he gave her and instead focused her attention on Luke, who found himself having to count Taylor's change three times when she turned those bright blue eyes the size of saucers on him.

"Hey Luke."

"What are you wearing?"

Her mouth fell open in mock surprise. "Why Luke, it's the latest in bedtime fashions. Haven't you seen Taylor showing off his plaid long johns around town?"

"Please don't ever say that again."

"My long johns are not _plaid,_" Taylor said, annoyed. "They're striped. Really, Lorelai, you –"

"That's enough information, Taylor." Luke waited for the register to print Taylor's receipt.

Lorelai bounced on her stool. "Guess what."

"You'll probably tell me anyway." He glanced at her with a patented look feigning annoyance.

"No, you have to guess!"

"Just tell me."

"Aw, Luke, you're no fun." She swung her legs beneath the counter. "Rory and I are having a movie night, and you're invited."

"I'm honored." He managed to give Taylor his change and receipt, and Taylor finally left after tossing Lorelai another dirty look for almost kicking him under the counter.

Lorelai grinned. "I thought you might be. So, you'll come then?"

Luke opened his mouth to reply, but before he could Lorelai leaned in a little closer and said softly, "I know it's not what we had in mind when we made movie plans, but Rory's just here this weekend and I wanted us to do something traditional." She was so close; Luke couldn't help but remember kissing her over the counter like this just yesterday. Before history could repeat itself, however, Lorelai leaned back and grinned at him, and Luke felt his annoyance, even if it was just a put-on, melting away at the sparkle in her eye when she smiled at him like that.

Lorelai seemed to know his guard had been dropped, and her grin widened. "See you at eight!" she chirped, exiting the diner.

Luke sighed and started wiping the counter. How _did_ she do that?

* * *

"Tissue, please."

Lorelai sniffed as Rory handed her the tissue box, still munching on popcorn. Lorelai yanked a hand full out and handed the box back to Rory, who did the same.

"I can't believe this," Lorelai said, wiping her eyes. "It's really unfair. You're not supposed to cry during Adam Sandler movies. It's a _rule._"

Rory looked over from where she sat on the other side of the couch, dabbing her eyes with a tissue. "It is?"

"It has to be." Lorelai sighed. "We're both in big trouble, kid. The Stars Hollow police are going to come and take us away in the big trucks with the little padded walls and chain us up in some musty jail cell and make us watch _Happy Gilmore_ all day with some guy named Butch with a tattoo of a heart with 'Mom' inside it on his left bicep."

The doorbell rang just as Lorelai finished her lengthy prediction, and she burst into fresh tears. "That's them! They're here to take us away! Save yourself, Rory! I'll be okay!"

Rory got up and patted her shoulder as she passed, heading to the front hallway. When she opened it, she found Luke standing with his hands in his pockets on her doorstep.

"Luke! Come on in!" Rory stepped back and Luke came inside, looking slightly more comfortable. He heard a wail erupt from the living room and he turned to stare at Rory. "Did you get a pet dragon since I've least been here?"

Rory smiled and took his coat. "No, that's just mom. We were watching _50 First Dates._."

Luke still had no idea what this had to do with the sound he'd just heard Lorelai, if it really was her and not an angry, starving dragon, make, but he followed Rory into the living room as Rory plopped onto the couch in her original spot, leaving Luke to sit between the two Gilmore girls. On the television, some blonde girl on a boat was hugging a kid she held in her arms while Adam Sandler stood by them. Luke stole a glance at Lorelai and was shocked to find her eyes rimmed red and a pile of tissues in her lap. She looked away from the screen for a moment and met his eyes, then turned back, but did a double take and noticed the look he was giving her.

"What?" she sniffed. "He did all that just so he could be with her, even though every day she had to remember who she was and everything that had happened the past year and make her fall in love with him again. And he loved her so much he took her whole family on a boat to Alaska." She turned back to the screen, and Luke found himself invariably impressed that someone could be so heartbroken when Adam Sandler was onscreen. Luke sighed and was happy to see the credits rolling within minutes.

Lorelai pushed the blanket she'd been using off of her and gathered up the mountain of tissues to throw them away, then returned for the half-empty popcorn bowl. "Time for a refill," she announced as she went into the kitchen. Rory settled herself in front of the TV and began pawing through an extremely large bag of videos on the floor.

Luke looked at Rory occupied on the floor, and stood up to follow Lorelai into the kitchen, where he found her stabbing at buttons on the microwave. "Whoa, whoa. What are you doing?"

"Making popcorn," Lorelai replied, as though it was the normal way to make microwave popcorn, punching desperately at the buttons. Luke grabbed her hand in mid-air, and she looked up in surprise. Her hands were warm and fit beneath his like a puzzle piece, even though he'd simply taken hold of it mid-stab. Her mouth fell open a little, and before Luke had any idea what he was doing, he put his other hand behind her neck and kissed her with more force than he'd meant to. She tensed up against his mouth, leaning half against the counter and half into him, but she relaxed carefully and let her mouth brush over his. Luke kneaded his fingers against her neck muscles without even realizing it, and she moaned softly. He felt he'd go crazy if they weren't closer, and he let go of her hand and pulled her to him around her waist, and she needed no convincing. Luke could feel her breathing against him, could feel her heart pounding a million miles a second as they kissed, and his hand brushed the skin of her stomach below her tank top where her pajama pants didn't quite reach, and this time she didn't tense instantly, but rather, she slid her hands up his chest and onto his shoulders, and he felt himself shudder at her touch.

They broke apart slowly, but Lorelai stayed in Luke's arms. Both were breathing hard and Lorelai's face was flushed, and he noticed her cheeks were shining in the dim oven light with tears from the movie. He smiled and brushed them away gently with his fingertips, meeting her eyes, and loving everything he saw reflected inside them: the spark she'd always had, the fear of what was happening between them, the excitement at the same thing. He hoped she could see the same in his own eyes, and one glance at the expression on her face told him she could. His hand on her waist was rubbing her skin absentmindedly, and she shivered when he rubbed beneath the hem of her tank top.

"That's not how you make popcorn, you know," he said softly, brushing a lock of hair that had fallen in her face out of her eyes. She smiled.

"Exactly how do you make popcorn, then, mister know-it-all? Cause, on the box it said microwave popcorn, so naturally, I assumed it meant you put in the microwave, but, you know, that's just me being –"

Luke leaned forward and cut her off with a kiss, less rough then before but not lacking in passion at all. She made an "Mmmm..." sound against his lips as both hands were at her waist now, kneading the bare skin of her hips. When they pulled away, she grinned at him.

"Was that just to shut me up?"

"Partly," Luke admitted.

"Are you going to do that every time I talk too much?"

"Probably," he admitted again.

Her grin widened. "You do realize that's only incentive for me to talk even more."

He returned her smile. "It's a double-sided coin, yes."

She grinned and kissed him again, slipping out of his arms before things got heated again. She bounced to the kitchen table, sat down and crossed her legs, her eyes wide as she looked at him.

"Go on, then. Make some popcorn!"

And he did, taking out a pan from one of the lower cabinets ("Lorelai, this thing has what might possibly be an entire dust bunny farm on it!") and pouring in the oil and popcorn kernels, which, mysteriously, she had in her pantry ("Sookie gave them to me. I didn't know what they were.") and shaking the pot as it crackled atop the stove before dumping the fresh popcorn in a large bowl and salting it carefully. While he sprinkled the salt over the popcorn, she came up behind him soundlessly and wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning her head against his back because she wasn't quite tall enough to rest it on his shoulder. He physically relaxed as she put her arms around him, feeling her breathing into him, her heartbeat once more, only this time, it was calm, content. He finished salting the popcorn and picked up a single piece, reaching around his shoulder and placing it in her mouth. She happily accepted it and said after swallowing, "Remind me to _never_ buy that microwave knock-off stuff again."

He smiled and turned slightly to put his arm around her shoulders, his other hand carrying the bowl of popcorn. They were halfway into the living room before either realized what they were doing, and just as Rory looked up from the video bag, Luke and Lorelai slipped out of each other's arms and stood a good three feet apart, trying desperately to act normal.

Rory gave them a funny look and said, "Is everything okay?"

"Yup," said Lorelai, too loudly. "Are you okay?"

Rory's eyebrows knitted and Luke wanted to drop through the floor. He had never been a good liar; he was sure his face was giving absolutely every detail about their kiss in the kitchen, at the Dragonfly, in the diner...

"Why wouldn't I be?" Rory said. "The movie didn't traumatize me that much, Mom."

"Oh, I know – I – right. Well, I have to worry about you, don't I? I don't want Butch turning you into another tattoo on his arm." She headed over to the couch and sat down, folding her legs beneath her.

"Who's Butch?" Luke said, and instantly regretted it as both sets of Gilmore eyes turned upon him. Lorelai waved her hand in dismissal. "So, what are we watching now? Something less depressing, please."

Luke had been around the two of them long enough to know that the look Rory gave her said something to the effect of, _We'll talk about this later_, and replied, "_Breakfast at Tiffany's_. Think you can handle it?" Lorelai threw a pillow at her.

Luke suddenly realized he was still standing there, holding the bowl of popcorn with bits of it scattered on the rug from his sudden jerk away from Lorelai. He set the bowl on the table, at which Lorelai immediately seized it and placed it in her lap. Luke threw away the popcorn from the floor and reclaimed his place on the couch, though it had been pushed over considerably by the popcorn bowl's presence there. Luke wasn't sure what to do; he didn't want to take Rory's spot, but he did want to sit by Lorelai, if for no other reason than if he sat on the floor, he knew she'd throw bits of popcorn in his hair. Luckily, Rory took this chance as she spread out on the floor, pressing play on the VCR, leaving Luke to the couch.

He ate popcorn during the first twenty minutes of the movie or so, but soon found himself a bit lost and wondering why the hell anyone would eat breakfast at a jewelry store. A glance at Lorelai told him it made perfect sense somehow, judging from the entranced look on her face as she absentmindedly munched popcorn. Luke tried to follow, but ended up just watching Lorelai out of the corner of his eye for most of the movie. She was so beautiful, he had known for years, but seeing her like this, so natural, and almost like a little kid, the look on her face being one of total enchantment, and he found it fascinating. He watched her nearly miss her mouth with popcorn handfuls because she was paying more attention to the movie than where her mouth was. He watched tears form in her eyes when some girl ran out of a taxi in the rain, a move he thought a bit ridiculous – couldn't she see the entire sky had opened up and it was pouring outside? Then some guy and the girl started kissing and a cat showed up. This only made more tears fall down Lorelai's face and he wasn't entirely sure what to do. He wanted to comfort her, but, come on, it was only a _movie_, and the tissues seemed to be holding out pretty well...Luke sat there uncomfortably for the rest of the movie, before the credits finally began to roll.

Lorelai sighed. "I love that movie."

Luke looked up in surprise. "You've seen it?"

Lorelai met his eyes and her mouth dropped open. "You _haven't?_"

"Well. No. I just thought...you still cry at it?"

Lorelai held up the pillow menacingly. "One more word out of you, mister, about my _Steel Magnolias_-induced tendencies and you will meet the wrath of the Pillow of Doom."

Luke couldn't help it. "So, at least Adam Sandler wasn't in this one. That makes it a little–"

He never finished, because Lorelai pounced at him, pillow and all, and they wrestled for a few minutes in a laughing and messy tumble of her hair flying everywhere and the pillow eventually landing in the empty popcorn bowl, which had somehow made its way to the floor.

Lorelai was still lying on top of him, laughing into his shoulder, but Luke was distracted by the way her body fit with his, her legs between his and their hips balanced perfectly. He felt like he could _feel_ every inch of her. Finally, Lorelai looked up and noticed their position, the laughter slowly fading from her face. She reached out and touched his face, and her fingertips sent jolts through his whole body. He tried to breathe normally, since she was, after all on top of him and could feel each intake of breath, but it simply wasn't working out. She moved forward a little, so their faces were inches apart, and he started to notice that she wasn't breathing normally either. She leaned in and kissed him so softly he thought he would break right there on the couch with her on top of him, and her hands moved through his hair as her mouth brushed across his.

After a moment, she changed tactics. Leaving his mouth, she began trailing kisses up his jaw line to just below his ear, then down his neck. He shivered as her lips traced his neck, and his hands ran up and down her shoulder blades as she kissed beneath his chin, then on the edge of his lips, driving him crazy, and he tilted his head and kissed her fiercely on the lips. Her hands were beneath his shirt, clutching him, and he kissed down her neck slowly, lingering in each spot before moving lower. She moaned softly when he reached her collarbone, and he bit down just gently enough for her to feel it. She moaned again, more urgently, but whispered this time, and his lips found the other side of her neck, where he did the same.

They stayed like that for what seemed like hours, and suddenly, Lorelai pulled back from him, her eyes shining, her breathing more like panting. "I want you to stay," she said.

Luke's stomach did about three back-flips. They hadn't ever talked about this, it had never...well, it had never come up. He stared at her trying to figure out what exactly she meant by stay. Surely they couldn't...with Rory right there? He opened his mouth to say something, though he had no idea what, when Lorelai clarified.

"I mean, not..." If possible, he thought her face became even more flushed. Lorelai? Blushing? What was going on?

"I meant, I want you to stay here to sleep. I want to sleep with you holding me." Her voice dropped into a whisper at the end, as though she were embarrassed to want something intimate in an entirely different way then what they had been doing, or what it would've lead to. Luke simply nodded, and she eased off him and laced her fingers through his, leading him upstairs. He stopped at the bottom of the steps. She turned around, questioning him with a look. He nodded to the sleeping Rory.

"We'll get up early. You can leave before she wakes up."

This sounded completely rational to him, and although he knew Lorelai had never woken up early for anything a day in her life, he protested no more as they continued upstairs. When they reached her bedroom, she pulled back the covers carefully, as one might make a bed rather than undo it, and he hung close to the door and watched her. When the sheets were spread out, she climbed in and looked at him shyly. He was even more surprised. Lorelai had never done anything shyly in all the time he'd known her. She looked at him and said, "You could wear my pajamas if you want, but you might stretch them out a bit..."

He smiled in spite of himself and came over to the bed, sitting beside her. He slid off his jeans and let them fall to the floor, then pulled off his long-sleeved shirt. He noticed her looking and said, "What?"

"Nothing. Well, I mean – why do you wear that thick flannel all the time? If you got it, flaunt it, babe!" She indicated his arms and he didn't quite know what to say. She smiled and pulled his hand so he would lie down next to her, which he did. "I'm just teasing. You have nice arms, is all."

"Thanks." What were you supposed to say that? Luke forgot all about it when Lorelai turned to face away from him and switched off the lamp next to her bed, leaving them with only the light of the moon shining through the curtains. She scooted next to him, so he cradled her body with his, and hesitantly he put his arm around her waist, resting his hand flat on her stomach. He felt her breathe in quickly at that, and he almost pulled away, when she put her arm around his, holding it to her. He relaxed slightly as she rested her head on the pillow, and he breathed in the scent of her hair, her skin. It was a mix of what he somehow knew was called lavender, and what winter air smelled like, after the first snow had fallen. He found this combination fascinating, and with her hair falling across her shoulders, he brushed his lips across the nape of her neck briefly, though she shivered beneath him when he did. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," she whispered. That was the last thing he remembered before falling asleep holding Lorelai, just as she'd wanted.

* * *

Third chapter done! They just keep getting longer, don't they? I had a bit more difficulty with figuring out how I wanted things to play out in this chapter, but I think I did what I wanted. Hopefully. Probably. It would suck if I didn't, it being a story I wrote and all....anyway. Reviews are welcome! 


	4. Taking Its Toll Without You

**Disclaimer:** Amy Sherman-Palladino owns everything except the plot.

**A/N 1: **I know a lot of people are wondering how long they can keep this thing from Rory, and exactly how it's going to affect the Lorelai and Rory dynamic. Well, I hate to say I will be holding out a wee bit longer, but I promise, Rory will inevitably find out soon enough, and hopefully I can make it turn out with everyone happy in the end. For awhile, at least :)

**A/N 2:** I know I promised this fic wouldn't have anything from season 5 in it plot-wise, and that still holds, but points to you if you can find the season 5 premiere reference! :) This chapter also ran way long, so I hope this tides you over til Tuesday! :)

**Sing One You Know **

Chapter Four

The sun streaming through the windows was a rude awakening to Luke as he blinked at the blue sky outside. He didn't recognize the window said sun shined through, splaying rays across the bed he lay on that was most certainly not his own. It took a moment for him to remember what had happened last night, and then, only when he looked down and saw deep brown hair tousled across the pillow next to him did it all come back.

It was a strange experience, waking up next to Lorelai. He had always thought she would hit him with a pillow to wake him up, tease him about sleeping in, then hold his clothes hostage until he threatened to withhold coffee from her. Not that he had given this a lot of thought or anything, but now he found that the actual waking up beside her was much different. For one thing, she was quiet. Granted, she was asleep, but he could only hear a soft exhale every few seconds as she slept with her back to him. He slid out of bed carefully as not to wake her, and walked around to the other side of the bed to watch her sleep, kneeling on the floor next to the bed. He rested his chin on his folded arms and saw something he realized he had never seen before: Lorelai sleeping. It was beautiful, _she_ was beautiful, almost crystallized, and her eyelashes were swept closed, her hand beneath her cheek. A lock of hair fell into her face, and he reached out and pushed it behind her ear. She stirred slightly, and her eyes blinked slowly, unfocused. He smiled at how bright the blue swirls were even so early in the morning; somehow he'd thought everything about Lorelai would brighten once she'd gotten her coffee in her, but he was pleasantly surprised to see it come through when she first woke up.

Lorelai stared at him for a few seconds, and Luke was about to say something when her head shot up off the pillow and she yelped. Luke's mouth dropped open. "Lorelai –"

"Oh my _God_, you scared me!" She was half-sitting up, the blanket falling off her shoulders, her hair splayed in all directions, forming a dark halo around her head accented by the sunlight spotlighting the bed. "What were you doing?!"

"I was watching you sleep!" Luke said, feeling slightly stupid and annoyed. "It was supposed to be – never mind." He eased up and sat on the edge of the bed, looking out the window.

Lorelai caught her breath, watching him for a moment, and sighed, pushing her hair out of her eyes. She crawled over to him as he sat with his back to her, and put her arms around his neck, covering them both with the blanket. "Luke, I'm sorry. You just – I wasn't expecting it."

Her breath tickled his ear as she whispered to him, and he softened considerably, though unwilling to let on that she had won so easily. He said nothing in return.

Lorelai kissed him on the cheek, letting her lips linger for a moment before resting her head on his shoulder. "Good morning," she said.

He turned and found himself face to face with her. He reached up and touched her face gently, and he knew she knew she had him. He kissed her forehead, then her eyes, the tip of her nose, and finally her lips. She closed her eyes and fell into his kiss, the blanket dropping out of her hands as she ran her fingers through his hair. Luke was surprised to find the kiss becoming intense so quickly, but he didn't care; the kiss deepened and he pulled Lorelai against his body. She was warm from the bed and his hand rested on the small of her back, the other hand against the bare skin left showing from her tank top. She shivered against his mouth and kissed him harder, and Luke felt his heartbeat quicken at her sheer _closeness_, let alone her lips against his, the scent of her hair, the smoothness of her skin. He could barely breathe as the sun heated his back with Lorelai practically in his lap. Then she was _in_ his lap, and he fell slowly backwards onto the bed, Lorelai on top of him, and they were kissing and her hands were _everywhere_ and he was really afraid he might stop breathing now, but it didn't matter. He heard her moan softly somewhere in the back of his mind, and his hands were on her skin, her hips, he just wanted to _feel_ her, for God's sake, and suddenly the bed was gone, the walls and the sun and the morning disappeared, because he knew nothing except Lorelai.

"Oh, God, you feel..." Lorelai whispered into his neck, her lips tickling his skin, and he shuddered as their breathing increased together. The sheets were tangled up with them now, Luke's foot was caught in the blankets at the end of the bed, but Lorelai's legs were intertwined with his and he could move only with her. They lay for a moment, trying to catch their breath, and Lorelai had just leaned down and pressed her lips against his once more, his hands had found her bare shoulders again, when a voice from the stairs brought them crashing back to reality.

"Mom?" Lorelai's head snapped up, and the look on her face was priceless. Luke would've teased her about how huge her eyes were if it weren't for how the situation had suddenly become not about them _real_ fast. The voice in question came from downstairs as feet began padding up the stairs.

"Oh my God," Lorelai whispered. "You – We were supposed to – early, you were supposed to be gone – damn it –"

Luke knew all of this before it came stumbling out of her mouth, and they lay frozen for a second, trying to come up with something, anything to fix the situation. Suddenly, Lorelai did fix it – in a way Luke found less than acceptable. She rolled off of him and pushed him as hard as she could, and he found himself lying on the floor in a pile of sheets. He opened his mouth to complain when Lorelai's head peeked over the side. _"Don't. Make. A sound."_

Rory appeared in the doorway to Lorelai's room, and she stared for a moment at the mess of sheets and blankets as Lorelai sat at the top of the bed, her tank top hanging off one shoulder, looking incredibly innocent, or at least she hoped she did. Finally, Rory spoke.

"Um, are you having those weird night terrors Kirk was talking about? Because this place looks a tornado came through it, and I heard you yell a minute ago, and –"

"Oh, that?" Luke closed his eyes, begging that whatever found its way out of Lorelai's mouth was at least somewhat plausible. "Yeah, I thought, well, I thought I saw a spider on the floor, and I freaked out, of course, cause, spiders, they're all little and scurrying and, um, generally, bad, so I yelled. And scared the spider. So, everything's okay!" Luke could hear the smile on Lorelai's face as she covered up desperately. There were a few agonizing moments of silence, then an "Ooookay," from Rory. Luke almost sighed in relief, then remembered the no-sound rule. He struggled to breathe carefully, as his leg was starting to cramp from the awkward position in which he'd landed when Lorelai had pushed him off the bed. He heard Rory leave, heard her footsteps on the stairs, heard the door shut quietly behind her. He still lay on the floor, unsure as to whether or not he could move, when Lorelai's head appeared above him on the bed. "Okay, get up!"

He jumped at the command, and sighed as he gathered the blankets and piled them on the bed, easing himself up. "Do you have to be abrupt about everything?" he grumbled, sitting on the edge of the bed. Lorelai grinned as she sprawled beside him, rubbing his knee gently with her fingers, her hair splayed across the bed. "Aww, did I scare you?"

"No."

This response made Lorelai grin even wider, but the smile faded after a moment when she remembered. "We have to get you out of here somehow."

Luke watched her carefully. "How long are you going to keep this from Rory? I never thought – I mean, well – I didn't think you would..."

Lorelai sighed and rolled over, lying on her stomach and resting her head on her arms. "I don't know," she said finally, in a small voice Luke had never heard before, and he reached out instinctively to put a hand on her back. He almost moved it away, but Lorelai spoke again and he kept it there, hoping to be some comfort.

"I know I need to tell her, I just – I don't know I'm doing this!" she said in frustration. "I never keep anything from Rory._ Never._ And now it's like, the longer I go without telling her, the more I'm afraid she'll hate me and probably move in with my parents or something to spite me because I didn't tell her first thing. Which I deserve. Though I'll be damned if I let her live with my mother for any lengthened amount of time, no matter what the circumstances," she added after a moment.

Luke knew he probably shouldn't ask the next question, but it came out of his mouth before he had time to think it through. "Why didn't you?"

"I don't know!" Lorelai threw up her hands. "I was so scared, Luke. You have no idea – when this whole thing started, when you kissed me and everything was happening so fast – I was...I was scared." The last part was in a soft voice that made Luke incredibly nervous, and he rubbed her back gently, hoping she would calm down, because he had no idea how to react to Lorelai being truly upset, something he very rarely had dealt with. "I was scared for me, and for you, and what would happen if me and you became _us_, as we've already talked about..." the hint of sarcasm crept in her voice, much to Luke's relief, though it didn't get any easier after that. "I mean, I didn't even know what to think. I didn't know how to handle this! The potential to screw up was huge, and Rory always knows how to voice the questions I'm too afraid to ask, and I was just scared to let everybody down if something started between us."

"Something has started between us," Luke found himself saying, and he did a double take in his head, having _no_ idea how that came out.

"I know!" Lorelai cried, and Luke tensed. She sighed and turned her head the other way, facing away from him. Luke sat awkwardly on the bed, trying to figure out how where in the conversation she had gotten upset at him. He scooted closer to her and ran his hand up and down her arm, squeezing her shoulder. She turned her head back to face him, resting it on her folded arms, and watched him quietly for a moment. Her eyes met his, and he almost stopped when he saw the look reflected in those rounded blue eyes – it was...well, it was _sadness._ Luke's mouth opened a little, and he tried desperately to think of something to say to make it better, to make her stop looking at him like that, but nothing came. They were still for what seemed like hours, though it was only a few minutes. Luke watched the dust dancing in the smoky sunlight streaming in through the window, lighting the whole room, Lorelai's smooth skin beneath his fingertips, and he appreciated them being together, in this room, in this moment.

The silence was broken as quickly as it had come, when Lorelai eased herself up and said softly, "You should go. I don't want – I need to talk to Rory and you – you shouldn't be here," she said with a laugh that didn't quite reach her eyes. She opened the door a crack and looked outside, then beckoned to Luke to get ready to follow her out. He stood up and came up behind her, and she was so close, he could feel her radiating heat into him. Without thinking, he tilted his head down and pressed his lips against her neck, and she shivered at the warmth that shot up her spine and down through her body. She closed her eyes and leaned back against his body, and loved how they matched up so perfectly, as Luke's arm slipped around her waist, she leaned into him, angling her cheek against his shoulder as his chin rested on her head. It was just a moment of comfort, a simple second, but when his lips brushed against the curve where her neck met her shoulder, Lorelai exhaled softly and tried to get even closer to him, though she could feel every inch of him enveloping her. She sighed into him, and he nuzzled her neck gently, his hand pressed against her stomach.

A noise from down the hall made then jump apart instinctively, and Luke nearly slammed into the door in effort to put space between himself and Lorelai. Lorelai turned and saw his wide eyes, and she had to cover her mouth to stifle the laughter. She beckoned for him to follow her, and they made their way carefully downstairs, the running water indicating Rory in the shower. Lorelai tiptoed across the living room, the blankets, videos and popcorn still strewn across the room, and Luke followed her as quietly as he could, and they had reached the front door just as the water shut off upstairs. Luke met Lorelai's eyes, and she waved him over urgently. He hurried over, trying to stay silent, when they heard the door open above them. Both froze, and listened hard for the sound of Rory exiting the bathroom, but they heard and saw nothing save the light streaming in from the hall.

They stood for what seemed like forever, until finally Lorelai sighed impatiently and muttered, "Come on, kid, it doesn't take that long to dry your hair."

Luke looked at her incredulously, at the fact that Lorelai could tell anyone _anything_ about staying in the bathroom too long, when Rory appeared at the top of the stairs.

The reaction was nothing short of miraculous: Luke was suddenly not standing up, he was on the floor behind the couch, his arms tangled across Lorelai's angles. She nearly kicked him in the head trying to get herself upright with him beneath her feet, and Rory stood wrapped in a towel at the top of the steps as a stifled "Ow! Dammit, Lorelai –"came from behind the couch.

Lorelai had never prayed so hard in her life that her child was deaf, or even ever prayed such a thing, really, but luckily, her prayer seemed to be answered, for Rory simply said, "Mom, where's the detangler?"

"It's – uh – it's, it would be, er, under my foot – um, sink! It's under my sink." Lorelai smiled and rested her hand on her hip, trying to steady herself with Luke sprawled across her feet. Rory turned and left.

Luke looked up from her bare feet. "Is she gone?" he said hoarsely.

"Yes, she's gone." Lorelai helped him up and sighed. "I hate this. I hate having to do this." She opened the door and stepped out onto the front porch, where a cool breeze swept through as Luke closed the door behind them. The sun shined over the yard as the town started to wake up, and Lorelai rubbed her arms, holding herself as though she was cold.

Luke looked at her carefully, unsure what to say. What was she saying? Did she not want to do this? Why didn't she just _tell _Rory, dammit? He said nothing and stood there quietly a few feet away from her, his hands shoved into his pocket.

Lorelai turned to him suddenly and said, "So, I guess I'll see you at the diner?" There was something in her voice, something Luke didn't recognize, but noticed had crept into the sentence almost undetected. He stared at her for a moment. "Oh, shit – the diner – I totally forgot!" He reached up instinctively to touch his baseball cap, and grew frantic. "Yeah, I gotta go, I..." He looked around. No one else seemed to be outside except for the two of him, and he stepped toward her. She almost stepped back, but after a moment of hesitation, looked up at him nervously. He put his hand on her waist, and she reached up and rested her hand on his shoulder. Their faces were inches apart, and he was just leaning in to kiss her goodbye, when –

"Lorelai! Lorelai?" The effect was almost mechanic now; a good three feet had suddenly appeared between the two. Luke looked around uncomfortably as Taylor made his way up the driveway. Lorelai forced a smile. "Hi Taylor! It's, uh, a little early to be coming to my house, isn't it? Not that you're ever at my house, because, why would you be at my house? Especially so early?" Lorelai gave a nervous laugh. "Not like Luke here –"Luke's head snapped up – "who can be here early, at my house, because Luke fixes thing, Taylor. Did you know that?"

Taylor came up the steps. "I need to speak with you, Lorelai."

Lorelai laughed again. "Of course you did. Why wouldn't you? He's a regular Tool Guy, Luke. That's why he's here. So early. At my house. To fix things. Which, he does. Did. He fixed – er, my...detangler."

Luke looked at her, his face unreadable, though Lorelai was pretty sure it said something to the effect of _'What the hell??'_

"That's nice, Lorelai. Now, I'm glad I caught you here. I wanted to take a moment to talk to you before you became so busy at the inn. I know you have a lot to do, so I thought it would be best to come to you on my own time."

"Come to me? About what, Taylor?" Lorelai's smile was starting to become strained.

"About the inn," Taylor said plaintively.

"Right. The inn. I run an inn. How bout that, huh, Luke?" His head glanced up again at his name. "You've been to the inn, right, Luke?"

"Uh, yeah, I have." He adjusted his baseball cap, unsure as to what Lorelai was trying to do, or if she was just letting things babble out of her mouth with absolutely no control whatsoever. He would've put his money on the second one.

"Right. You've been to the inn. I've been to the inn. We've been to the inn!" Her smile faltered slightly when she realized what she'd said, and exactly _how_ they'd been to the inn, but she recovered with a speed that Luke had to admit was impressive. "And so has Taylor, have you not? You've been to the inn, Taylor?"

"Of course I have, Lorelai, that's what I'm here to talk to you about." Taylor was starting to look annoyed, much to Luke's satisfaction for interrupting he and Lorelai.

Lorelai looked confused. "Wait. You're here to talk to me about inn business? At my house? Can't it wait until I'm actually at the inn in question? Seems only right, if we're talking about the inn, we shouldn't do it behind its back, at least give it the chance to defend itself –"

"You'll be busy at the inn, and I won't be able to talk to you," Taylor said, looking more and more peeved by the moment.

"What exactly do you need to talk to her about, Taylor?" Luke said, crossing his arms over his chest. He didn't like Taylor bombarding Lorelai this way, especially when it involved interrupting the two of them as he had so rudely done. Taylor looked him up and down with an expression Luke couldn't quite read, and then said, as if he'd only just noticed him standing there, "What are you doing here, Luke?"

Luke opened his mouth to tell Taylor exactly what he was going to do here, when Lorelai stepped in quickly. "Luke was fixing. Doing the fixing thing. As we've already been over, in detail, if I remember!" She smiled and met Luke's eyes, shooting some imperceptible message to him with the meaningful look on her face. Luke wished women wouldn't think men could read things like that, how the hell was he supposed to have _any_ idea what she was trying to tell him? Taylor opened his mouth to say something, when all of a sudden the front door opened and Rory came outside. "Hey, a party," she said, looking around.

"Yes! It's a party. A really, really terrible party with Taylor having some pressing matter about my inn that absolutely cannot wait another ten minutes when I will actually be _at_ the inn, and Luke, who was fixing and has fixed and is now finished with the fixing, that being the whole reason he was here, and now you, so, step up, have fun, but watch out for the punch bowl, I saw some very suspicious looking ice cubes in it." Lorelai forced a smile toward Rory, with the same look she had given Luke, he noticed, but unlike him, she seemed to get it immediately. "I see," Rory said slowly, looking around. "So why is Taylor here?"

"I have no idea," Lorelai sighed.

* * *

The inn was calm for the first time all day, and Lorelai leaned back against the wall, bracing her feet on the front desk. She closed her eyes and sighed, covering her face with her hands. Once Taylor had finally finished with her that morning, all what he considered the proper layout of a comment card, she'd been informed that the oven had simply stopped working. Sookie was nearly in tears, and Michel refused to admit he'd had anything to do with it, though there was a distinct dent in the side right after Michel had burned his hand while ordering around the staff. Lorelai had put them both in separate rooms to put some distance between them and get everyone out of her hair for awhile.

The grand opening was in less than a week, and Lorelai felt ready to burst. There was so much to be done, she felt, before it could be perfect and ready for customers. This was what she had been working toward for her entire life, and it was launching in a few short days. She sighed again and blinked slowly, trying to focus. The datebook sat open in front of her, notes scribbled in every corner of the margins. _Check door handles and locks_ read one next to the first week of the month. _Menu plans posted every week in kitchen_ was written over the date. In the corner of the page, _Stock up on cucumbers_ was hastily scrawled in a handwriting Lorelai recognized as the work of a certain chef that wanted to claw apart a certain French concierge at the moment. A small smile crossed her face and she closed the datebook, ready to go upstairs and hold Sookie back, when Rory came in and perched on the edge of the desk, looking up at Lorelai expectantly. Lorelai groaned and rested her head on Rory's shoulder.

"Be a dear and run the inn for your poor, overworked mother."

"Sookie and Michel again?" Rory sympathized.

"Sookie's afraid there won't be a single person left in Stars Hollow who will be able to work in the kitchen after hearing of the Frenchman of Doom residing at the Dragonfly."

"They're all still here now, aren't they?" said Rory, peering down at Lorelai.

"Right this second? Yes. In the next five minutes, when we release Michel from the cell in the basement? Most likely not." Lorelai looked up at Rory, who smiled at her. "It'll be okay," Rory said, tucking a lock of hair behind her mother's ear. "The inn opens for real soon. Everything will work out. You're almost there."

Lorelai let out another groan. "Don't remind me!" She hit Rory playfully with the datebook. Rory ducked and cried, "Abuse! Maybe you shouldn't be working within the vicinity of normal people, you're being driven to madness by the stress of the inn! It's cursed!" Rory dodged another swing of the datebook, and Lorelai stopped for a moment and considered this. "That would be cool. We could be a _haunted_ inn."

"Yes, because the flowered wallpaper is downright scary," said Rory, wide-eyed. Lorelai waved the datebook in front of her face. "You, kiddo, are this close to being locked in a room with Michel until you kill him."

Rory grinned and slid off the desk. "Maybe later. Right now I have to go watch Lane's band practice. She says they've got this new thing they do where she drums on Zach's back and the guitar starts going, and it's crazy." Rory turned and started to leave. Lorelai bit her lip. "Wait a sec, babe."

Rory turned around in the doorway and looked at Lorelai, who looked down at her hands for a moment and fidgeted, then said, "We need to talk later. I have some things – there's something – well, we'll talk later tonight, okay?" Lorelai forced a grin at the look on Rory's face, one of concern.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yep, fine. Everything's fine." Lorelai picked up the datebook and brandished at her. "We'll talk later. Go forth and watch Lane beat the hell out of Zach. Have fun."

Rory lingered for a moment, watching Lorelai carefully, but turned and left. Lorelai set down the datebook and sighed, resting her head in her hands as she leaned on the desk. She knew it was time to tell Rory; it had been bottling up inside of her ever since that night on the front porch of the inn. It was terrifying, letting anyone in on the way Lorelai felt about Luke, the way they were together. The way she could barely let herself in on the two of them, let alone anyone else. Lorelai shook her head. This wasn't the time to worry about things like this, not now, not when there was a kitchen crisis she needed to avert. Lorelai looked up to see Luke standing in front of the desk. She jumped and clutched her heart.

"Oh, my _God!_" Her heart was racing, though whether it was from being surprised at him standing there or just the fact that he _was_ there, he was near her, she wasn't sure.

"Lorelai, geez. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to – are you okay?" Luke peered at her. "You look tired."

"Thanks." Lorelai ran a hand through her hair and tried to will her heartbeat to slow.

"I didn't mean in a bad way," Luke said. "I just meant – you're stressed." He crossed behind the desk and started rubbing her arms, and Lorelai tensed at his hands. He pulled back. "What?"

"Nothing, it's just – anybody could see us." Lorelai looked around anxiously, knowing perfectly well that around them was completely empty. Luke looked as though he wasn't sure whether or not to believe her. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Lorelai nodded and ran a hand through her hair again, looking over his shoulder. "I'm fine." Her forced grin returned. "Sookie and Michel are driving me nuts. It's like World War III all over again."

"Lorelai, there was no World War III."

"I know," she said defensively. "But if there was, this would be like it. The French vs....the chefs."

Luke smiled in spite of himself and stepped toward her, his arms slipping around her waist. Lorelai hesitated a moment before coming closer to him. His arms fit perfectly around her, and she rested her forehead on his chest, breathing into him. Luke's lips brushed the top of her head, and Lorelai felt all our exhaustion, all her worry, everything riding on her shoulders fall away as she reached up, almost unconsciously, and wrapped her arms around his neck. He nuzzled her hair, and she felt herself relax in his arms. She had never been so..._comfortable_ with another person. That Luke could make her feel this way without even trying, that his arms enveloping her could get her guard down so easily...this was exactly what she'd been so worried about. She was so free with him, so unguarded...unguarded didn't end well, she knew. In all her experience, opening up too much was a sure way to be hurt, and Lorelai began to feel panicked standing here in his arms, as though there were nothing else in the world. Lorelai opened her eyes and stepped back, out of his embrace. Luke's eyebrows raised. "What is it? Lorelai?"

"It's – it's nothing. I just – I have to get back to work. Go finish the next world war. Where have you been?" She looked away from him and stepped around him, starting up the stairs.

"Lorelai!" She stopped with her foot on the second stair at his voice. She looked down, then up at him carefully. His face was a mix of confusion, helplessness, and...anger? Something twisted inside of her as she met his eyes. "What's wrong? Did I – did I do something?" He sounded upset. Lorelai closed her eyes. She hated herself for making him sound that, for putting herself in a position to listen to his voice like that, but pushed it away as quickly as she'd let it in.

"You didn't do anything. I'm just really busy. We're opening soon, and I have so much to do, and I can't...I can't deal with this right now." She willed the hot tears behind her eyes to go away, but they stung her eyes stubbornly.

"What?" Luke's voice was almost what she would call astounded now, and she hated it. She knew it was her fault, all of it was her fault, and he spoke in this tone because of _her._

"Lorelai, what are you talking about? What are you doing?" Luke started toward her, and she moved up a step. Luke's mouth fell open a bit, and Lorelai couldn't look him in the eyes anymore. "Look, I just...I need some time, all right?" Her voice came out in a strained whisper. Luke started walking toward her again, and reached the step below her quicker than she'd imagined. She turned and tried to go, but he grabbed her elbow. "Lorelai, for God's sake, just _stop._"

He was so close now, his voice hovering in her ear, and she could _feel_ him behind her, she knew exactly where he was in relation to her, how did she know this?

"What is this all about?" His voice was quieter now, but Lorelai couldn't stand being so close to him anymore, couldn't stand knowing how many inches were between his head and the back of her neck, where foot rested on the step below her. She tried to start upstairs again, but he wouldn't let her. "Dammit Lorelai, what is this? One minute you're fine, the next you're running away from me? What's with you?"

"Nothing's with me." Her voice came out harsher than she meant for it to be. "I just have to work, okay? Sookie's going to come bursting out of that room brandishing the lamp like something out of those freaky sci-fi movies and we're all going to be in trouble, so I'm going to stop that before I happens. Save us all." She started up the stairs before he had a chance to protest, and had reached the second floor before Luke appeared in front of her. She stopped abruptly and sighed. "Lorelai, why are you doing this? What is this all about? You can't just leave me standing there like an idiot when you won't even tell me why you're running away from me." He sounded upset again, and Lorelai almost turned and ran down the stairs, just to get away from all this. "Can we talk about this later? Sookie's really going to cause some trouble –"

"No! We can talk about this now. Why are you so scared to be around me all of a sudden?"

"It's not all of a sudden!" she burst out, and Luke stopped, looking at her with an unreadable expression.

"What?" His voice shook slightly.

Lorelai closed her eyes and rested a hand on her forehead briefly. "Do you remember this morning? When we were..." she paused and continued quickly, "when we were in bed, and I told you I was...I was scared." She looked away from him. "Scared if something started with us. And you said it already had, and I..." The tears threatened her, and she fought fiercely to keep them back. "Look, that terrifies me, okay? Something has started between us. Something that we can never, ever change now!"

"Why would you want to change it?" Luke tried to get her to look at him, but she refused, and his voice was no steadier.

"I don't want to – I don't know, all right? I don't know how to deal with that!"

"With _what?"_

"With something between us!" Lorelai looked up at him for the first time, and the tears glistened in her eyes. One escaped to roll down her cheek, and Luke fought the urge to brush it away. He needed to hear whatever was going on with her, so he could fix it somehow, the same way he had fixed other things in her life Then everything would be okay, if she would tell him how to fix it.

"There's something between us." Her voice got quieter, and he could see her shudder with the tears she was holding back. It took every ounce of willpower Luke had not to take her in his arms right then and just hold her, no matter what she did, just hold her and kiss her hair and tell her everything would be all right, and let her soak his shirt with tears. But he didn't. They stood in the middle of the hallway, breathing hard, trying to bring back the spiral of emotions that had somehow unraveled in the last five minutes.

"There's something that is so important to me, something that we had for a very long time, that is more important me than almost anything." Lorelai's voice was shaky, but determined, though she still refused to meet his eyes or acknowledge the tears running freely down her face now. "And now we've gone and changed it. We can never go back! We can't protect it anymore!" She seemed to almost crumple.

"You mean we can't protect you anymore." His voice was harder now, more sure. Lorelai hesitated and looked up, over his shoulder tentatively. He continued, determined to make her hear this, to make her at least tell the truth, God help him, before she threw everything away he'd been hoping for the better part of ten years for.

"You can't keep that indestructible little wall up anymore, can you? You've worked long and hard to do everything you could to be untouchable, and you used to have Rory as an excuse, but you don't anymore; now all you have is yourself! And you wouldn't dare let anyone in, would you, Lorelai?" She flinched at the sound of her name coming from him in such a harsh context. "For everything you are, for being so strong and so independent, you can't handle a simple thing like letting someone into your life!" Luke threw up his hands.

"Well, maybe it's not so simple for me, Luke!" Lorelai shot back.

"Why not?" Luke asked, trying desperately to understand. "I know you're scared. Do you think this is easy for me, either? Knowing that from now on, things are completely different between us? You're right, things have changed. And I'm glad, okay? I'm glad it's different. I'm glad that now I can kiss you and hold you while you sleep and show you the right way to make popcorn so you don't kill yourself on that horrible microwave stuff, because I couldn't do those things before! Damn it, Lorelai!" He could barely believe those things had come out of his mouth, but there was nothing he could do about it now.

To his complete surprise, Lorelai gave him a small smile. "Really, you could've done the popcorn thing before. Saved me a lot of too-salty processed crap."

He stared at her, unsure what to make of that. "I guess so."

Lorelai sighed and looked at him. "Look, I just...I don't know how to do this any other way, you know?" The smile had turned harsher, sadder. "I'm like Audrey Hepburn in _Breakfast at Tiffany's_. You saw firsthand what I do to something like this."

Okay, now he had no clue what she was talking about. "I did?"

Lorelai looked at up him, her hand on her hip. "Of course you did! The movie? The other night? With the popcorn, and...and the sleeping?" She softened visibly, and Luke felt himself relax at the memory.

"I didn't really get the movie," he admitted. Lorelai felt a grin creep over her face. "I thought you might not. It is a bit...more intentioned for women."

"It's a chick flick," he said flatly.

Lorelai covered her mouth in mock horror. "Luke! You have just used the insult of all insults on my movie tastes! The phrase 'chick flick' is degrading and sexist and I am personally offended by your stand on a classic such as _Breakfast at Tiffany's_ –"

"It's a chick flick."

"Oh, Luke." She stamped her foot. He raised his eyebrows. Had she really just stamped her foot?

Luke looked at her carefully. He wasn't used to seeing this Lorelai, the tired Lorelai, the one who, under the surface, had things getting to her in a way she seemed to never be affected by on the outside. Without thinking, he reached out and took her carefully around the waist, pulling her close to him. She stumbled toward him. "Luke –"

"Don't," he said softly. His hands found their way to their spot on her waist, as they always did, and her arms were around his neck, without, she thought, even meaning to be. "Lorelai, I..." he hesitated. He had no idea what he was going to say next. Well, in all honesty, he knew, but he wasn't sure if he should say it; was this the time, or the place, or even right? He suddenly found himself shocked with another thought: he didn't care. He didn't care if this was the right time or the right place, but he sure as hell knew it was right, and that was all he cared about.

"I love you, Lorelai."

The effect these words had on her was something he held his breath until he'd thought he'd pass out to watch: it was as though someone had hit her with a stun gun. She froze in his arms, her mouth open slightly, and slowly raised her eyes to meet his. She felt her stomach do about ten thousand flips and forward rolls and God knows what, and she was glad Luke's hands were at her waist; if they weren't she was sure she might have fallen through the floor.

And yet, there was something incredibly..._not_ shocking about what he'd just said. Lorelai loved Luke, of course, and he her. They'd been friends for years; of course they loved each other. But to love like this...Lorelai knew it existed. She knew how real it was, how real he was, standing in front of her, that half-terrified, half-wild look in his eyes, the same look he'd had the night he'd kissed her on the front porch of the inn. It was so familiar, and yet, it was scary, being so real she had to actually admit the reality of the situation.

"I just thought I should tell you." Luke's voice was hoarse, and Lorelai looked up at him, feeling those damn tears spring up again, and she touched his cheek gently. He leaned into her touch; his heart was going so fast he was surprised it hadn't dropped dead of exhaustion yet. "Luke," she whispered. And it _was_ Luke, it was him, standing in front of her and telling her he loved her, and she thought she might break right there.

"Luke, I love you," she whispered, and the relief that flashed across his face made her so sad and so happy at the same time, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him to her tightly, burying her face in his neck. He held her firmly, so gentle and yet so close so she knew she was _his_, that she belonged here, in this spot, with arm encircling her waist and his hand rubbing her back gently.

They stood like that for what seemed like hours, months, days, and just when Lorelai was starting to feel sleepy, warm with Luke holding her, when she heard the creak of doors opening. She didn't want to bring herself to leave Luke's arms just yet, but she slid out of them carefully, her eyes lingering on Luke's for just a moment before she turned to look behind her. At the same time, Luke turned to look behind him, and he found Sookie staring at him, her eyes wide. Lorelai met Michel's eyes, equally wide, as he leaned outside the door, matching Sookie's position. No one said anything for a moment. Finally, the silence was broken with the annoyed tones of an infuriated Frenchman.

"Are you two finished screaming at each other? Because Sookie and I have work to do."

* * *

Lorelai found the house undisturbed when she came home that night, and she let herself in quietly, setting her keys on the table. She wandered around for a minute before coming to lean on Rory's doorframe. Rory was lying on the bed with her back to the door, deeply engrossed in a book.

"So, those Russian writers really know their stuff, huh?"

Rory jumped a foot in the air and _War and Peace_ went flying halfway across the room. She whirled around to see Lorelai leaning her forehead against the doorway to support herself as she laughed.

"Mom! That was cruel and unusual!" Rory got up and grabbed the book from where it had landed in her trashcan. Lorelai took a deep breath.

"Oh, I know, babe, but it was fun. You should have seen that thing go airborne – not as heavy as it looks." She dissolved into giggles once more and Rory sighed, obliging her a smile.

"Well, if you're finished scaring the wits out of your daughter, how was your day?"

"My day?" Lorelai bit her lip. How could she even begin to describe what had happened? "My day was..." she hesitated. "Look, um, Rory." She came in and sat on the edge of Rory's bed, looking at her hands. "We need to talk."

Rory peered up at her. "Mom? Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine," said Lorelai, a smile – a real one – finding its way onto her face. "Everything's better than fine, except for the part...where it's really, really not." She sighed. "I need to tell you something. A lot of somethings, actually, and after I tell you, you have every right to storm out of her and move to Yale permanently until you guilt me into becoming your lifetime slave, because I...I deserve that for not being completely honest with you." Lorelai struggled to keep going. God, how had she done this? The concerned look on Rory's face was killing her, but she plunged ahead.

"Not being honest about what?"

"About Luke!" Lorelai burst out.

Rory's eyebrows knit, and she looked at her mother as though she were distinctly crazy. "Luke?"

"Yes, Luke! _Our_ Luke! Coffee Luke! Diner guy!"

"I know who Luke is, Mom," Rory said calmly.

"Yes, well, you don't know as much as you think!" Lorelai stood up and started pacing around the room, her hands on her forehead. "For instance, did you know Luke loves me?"

"What?" Rory watched her cross back and forth across the room.

"That's right! Luke, coffee Luke, your Luke, my Luke –"

"Diner guy, Luke, I get it," Rory interjected.

"He loves me! He – loves me. How did that happen?"

"Of course Luke loves you, Mom. He loves both of us. He's known us forever."

Lorelai smiled a slightly psychotic smile and shook her finger. "Oh, you know so little, padawan."

"I'm sorry, did you just make a _Star Wars_ reference?"

Lorelai rested her hands on her hips and continued pacing. "I mean, for him to come right and say it like that – do you have any idea what he must've gone through to be able to do that? You know Luke, he's not exactly Mr. Feelings, and when he said it, I just...well, I froze. How was I supposed to know that was coming? Especially after we'd just been at each other's throats – if that isn't something out of an Audrey Hepburn movie, I don't know what is." She paused for a moment. "Though once I regained consciousness, I said it back! Can you believe it? It was like something out of Oprah or something. One of those reunion shows or whatever."

"Except that you and Luke aren't long-lost relatives separated by their drug-addicted mother at birth when she dropped the both of you at the shelter," Rory pointed out.

"Exactly. Because if we were, that'd be creepy." Lorelai frowned, then waved her hand. "Anyway, that's not the point. The point is that he said it to me. And I said it back. What do you think that means?"

"Well, judging from the choice of words, it could mean that he loves you and you love him." Rory was balancing _War and Peace_ on her knees and had it open to the page she'd been reading.

"Could be," Lorelai mused. "But – I mean – Luke _loves_ me? Really?" She looked truly surprised and happy and, well, giddy. Rory focused on the page in front of her.

"I mean, that's a little weird, at least, right? I can't believe he – well, I mean – it's...it's _unexpected_, don't you think?"

"I've already told you what I think," Rory said, turning the page.

"Of course. You're right. You know, I'm glad I kept you around all these years, kid. I knew you'd come in handy someday." Lorelai grinned and bounced out of the room. Rory resumed reading in the brief silence that followed, when all of a sudden Lorelai came bouncing back, standing in the doorway with her hand on her hip, a distinctly confused look on her face. "Wait a minute. You don't even know what I'm talking about. You haven't been _told_ about what I'm talking about, which is why I offered you the whole slave-for-life thing. Which can be re-negotiated, just so you know."

"I know what you're talking about," Rory said casually, trying to stay engrossed in _War and Peace_.

"No, you don't."

"You and Luke rendezvousing at the diner awhile ago says I do."

Lorelai's mouth dropped. "What? How did you – but I said – I covered, dammit!"

"Not very well, mother. Come on. You wouldn't let me come to Luke's with you so you could discuss 'inn business'?"

"It was – well, it was plausible, at least!"

"In crazy world, maybe."

Lorelai came over and sat on the bed, still in shock. Rory had known all this time, and hadn't said anything? After all the guilt and pains she had gone through to keep it a secret?

"I can't believe you knew! All this time?"

"Of course." Rory yawned and placed a bookmark in _War and Peace_. "You weren't exactly stealthy, Mom."

"I was! I was stealthy! I can stealth with the best of them!"

"Confusion of nouns and verbs, a sure sign you've lost it."

"Oh, Rory..." Lorelai looked away. A wave of guilt washed over her, and she could barely believe this was the girl she had been trying to keep a secret from.

"Do you hate me?" Lorelai said a small voice. "Because, you can. I'd understand."

Rory smiled and crawled over to her mother, putting her arms around Lorelai's shoulders and resting her head on one. "I don't hate you. I was upset at first, but after awhile I realized this is you and Luke. I mean, _Luke_."

Lorelai managed a smile. "Luke."

Rory returned the smile. "And I understand why you were afraid to say anything. I know it must be crazy trying to keep it under the radar in this town. And you and Luke...you're you. And he's Luke. You have to be careful, you know? I mean, this is...this is different."

Rory let out a squeal as Lorelai turned and tackled her to the bed, laughing. "You really are my daughter, aren't you?"

"I hope so. Or I could be one of those kids abandoned by their real parents you see on Oprah. And Luke could be my brother."

Lorelai tickled her, and Rory nearly fell off the bed laughing. "Stop, stop! I'm sorry!" She dissolved into giggles. Lorelai sat up and grinned. "I really am sorry, Rory. I know – I should've told you. Nothing excuses that."

"Well, there's always that lifetime slave thing for you to make it up to me," Rory said, settling down in her bed. Lorelai slid off the bed and kissed her on the forehead.

"Yeah, we'll discuss that in the morning," she said. "Night, babe. And..." she paused in the doorway. "Thank you."

Rory smiled. "You're welcome."

Lorelai turned and shut off the light, making her way upstairs. She collapsed on the bed, fully clothed, and folded her hands under her head, yawning. It had been a really, really long day. She could only hope there'd be another one like it tomorrow.

* * *

**Author's Note:** It is CRAZY how these fics take on a mind of their own – I swear I didn't mean for the 'I love you' thing to happen! I had a completely different direction I wanted to take the fight, and it just ended up being this. Also, this chapter has ended up being incredibly longer than I meant for it to be – I hope that makes up for taking so long to get up. This one had to be handled much more carefully than the others, for some reason, and it's turned out to be my favorite chapter so far, so I hope you enjoy and please leave me some reviews, kids! :)


	5. Discussions and Decisions

**Disclaimer:** Amy Sherman-Palladino owns everything except the plot.

**A/N 1: **Um. Rory and Emily aren't going to Europe, kids. Sorry, it just makes it more complicated and I prefer to keep the action (hehe, get it, action? – I mean, what?) in Stars Hollow.

**A/N 2:** Quick shout-out to everyone who's been reviewing: You guys make my day. To say something happened just like on the show or that something someone did was in character is the absolute highest compliment you can pay me and I appreciate your feedback and your honesty and your questions so much!! A lifetime supply of coffee (it would've been cookies, but being a GG fic, I figured it was only appropriate) to you all. :)

**Sing One You Know **

Chapter Five 

"Rory! Where are my shoes?"

No response. Lorelai cursed under her breath and continued to throw things over her shoulder from her closet, creating an impressive collection of skirts, shoes, boxes that could contain anything, really, and other assorted items. A small stuffed bunny, pink, as to be expected, even made its way on top of a pair of running shoes. Why Lorelai owned running shoes, she wasn't sure, but they were awfully cute despite their connotation, and Lorelai heaved them over her shoulder with everything else.

"Ah – watch it! Mom, what are you doing?" Rory ducked a jacket on a hanger that went flying straight at her head. Lorelai paused from her projectile searching to reply, "Looking for my shoes." A pair of boots hurled atop the pile, and Rory gingerly took a step toward her. "Mom, stop, you're making a – why do you have two pairs of the same boots?"

Lorelai looked up. Rory indicated the boots she had just thrown, then a strikingly similar pair lying in a heap by the bed. "Oh. Hmm. No clue." She stared for a moment more, then shrugged and turned back to the closet, ready to resume warfare.

"Mom! Wait." Rory maneuvered over the piles of what seemed to be everything Lorelai owned strewn about the floor. "I was trying to tell you – Luke's on the phone."

Lorelai's stomach did a flip, and she dropped the shirt was holding. "He is? Why? Why is he on the phone?"

Rory knit her eyebrows. "Well, I'm going to assume it's because he picked up the phone and called us. See Mom, when two people are in love and they want to...well, they want to, _talk_ to each other, one of them has the option of picking up the phone - _hey!_" A purse with large handles came flying at Rory.

"I didn't interrogate him, Mom. Just pick up the phone."

"I can't, I –" Lorelai started to panic. "I have to get ready, we have to leave for your grandmother's in fifteen minutes – you – Rory! You're not dressed for dinner!" Her mouth dropped as she realized her daughter stood in front of her wearing jeans and a T-shirt proclaiming some club at Yale.

"That's because I'm not going to dinner, remember? I have to fill in for Paris at the blood drive festival this weekend."

"The _what?_"

Rory sighed. "Vamp Champs. A contest to see who can donate the most blood to the local hospital. We've had this conversation before. I said, 'I won't be able to go to dinner next Friday, I have to fill in for Paris at the blood drive festival', and you said, 'Okay.'"

Lorelai frowned. "That sounds like a very one-sided conversation."

"A conversation nonetheless."

"What are they teaching you up at that school?"

Rory ignored her. "Luke's still on the phone."

Lorelai winced. "Shoot, I forgot. You're saying not only do I only get to talk to Luke for a few minutes before I to go to dinner with my _parents_, but I can't even take you down with me? "

"It seems so."

"Dammit."

"I suppose. Are you ready?"

"No! I can't find my shoes!" Lorelai threw up her hands. Rory looked from the pile of about ten trillion shoes, to Lorelai, then back to the shoes. However, she knew better than to argue. "Which shoes are you looking for?"

"The black ones."

"Well, that narrows it down."

Lorelai gave Rory a Look. "Help or get out, kiddo, cause my night's on its way to sucking way more than yours is."

"All right," Rory conceded. "Boots or heels?"

"Heels."

A few minutes of frantic searching ensued until Rory finally unearthed the shoes in question from Lorelai's laundry basket, and Lorelai struggled to get them on as she rushed downstairs. She picked up the phone from where it lay on the table, and said a breathless, "Hello?"

There was a moment of hesitation on the other end, then, "Lorelai."

"Yes?"

"Sorry," he said flustered. "Are you – what's going on over there? Rory said she heard you throwing things and cursing."

"Did she, now?" Lorelai looked around for Rory, who, miraculously, was nowhere to be seen. "Yes, well, I was having a shoe emergency."

"A – what?"

"A shoe emergency. You know."

"Somehow, I don't."

"Never mind." Lorelai sighed. "So, what are your plans for tonight? I get to drive to Hartford without Rory as my deflective shield to all things Emily and have dinner with them."

"Oh, that, well – that sucks."

"Pretty much, yeah."

"I'm not really doing anything," he said, and somehow, Lorelai thought she could hear him adjusting his baseball cap over the phone.

"Just called to say hi, huh?" she teased him.

"Well, no, I just..." His voice trailed off, and suddenly Lorelai got it.

"Oh, God, did you call to ask me out?"

"I – what?" If possible, he sounded even more flustered.

"You know. That thing when you call me or I call you, and one of us asks the other if they would like to go out somewhere, hence the 'asking out' part, preferably together, and –"

"Geez, Lorelai, yes, I did." He sounded annoyed, and she softened.

"Did you think I was going to say no?" Her voice was gentler now, not enough to be patronizing him, but enough to let him know she'd backed off.

"I would hope not," he said gruffly. "Because that would really put me out after what happened the last time I saw you."

Lorelai felt a grin spread over her face at the memory; the full day since their exchange of words at the inn had been entirely too much time apart, as far as she was concerned, but the opening only three days away simply wouldn't allow it any other way.

"If it helps, I'm going to say yes," she offered.

Silence. Then, "It helps a little."

She grinned fully now. "Good."

There was another moment of hesitation, then, "Lorelai, do you want to –"

"Mom! Where are you?"

Lorelai winced. "Luke, I'm so sorry. Hold that thought." She covered the mouthpiece of the phone as Rory hurried down the steps, holding Lorelai's cell phone in her hand. "This had better be the President telling me Jen and Ben have broken up, or I might be forced to throw the phone at you just a little." She read Rory's look instantly. "Oh no – it isn't –"

"It's Grandma."

_Why why why_, Lorelai chanted in her head as she tried to wave Rory away, but Rory shoved the cell phone in her face and Lorelai was forced to grab it before it ended up in her eye. She took a deep breath.

"Mom?" Somewhere, for she was certain it didn't come from her or Rory, Lorelai thought she heard someone chuckle.

"Don't 'mom' me, Lorelai. You're late."

"Late?"

"Yes, late. Late as in, not on time. Dinner was supposed to start ten minutes ago."

Lorelai glanced at the Felix clock and winced again. Had she really been distracted that much by Luke? No, she decided, the shoe fiasco must've had something to do with it.

"Lorelai Gilmore!"

Lorelai jumped. "Ah, I'm here, Mom."

"I know you're there. That means that you are not here. At the house. For dinner. You know, I thought maybe we'd been doing this long enough that you would've caught on. Every Friday night, dinner at the house, you and Rory come over –"

Lorelai seized the opportunity. "Rory can't come, Mom."

There was a slight pause. Then, "What?"

"Rory. She can't come." Lorelai could barely suppress her glee at passing the blame on someone else, and she saw Rory's look of horror from out of the corner of her eye.

"Not fair!" Rory whispered. Lorelai grinned at her.

"Why can't Rory come?"

"Because she's helping with some thing at Yale this weekend. Filling in for someone."

"Oh. Well, that's perfectly excusable." Emily dismissed it. "You, on the other hand, do not have an excuse for not being here on time, do you?"

"I – what?!" Lorelai's mouth dropped, and Rory moved back from where she had been pressing her ear to the phone. She scurried off as Lorelai tried to whack her with the hand holding the home phone.

"You heard me, Lorelai. Do you have some sort of plausible excuse as to why you are not on time for your weekly dinner with your father and I?"

"If I said I was fundraising at Yale, would that be excusable?"

"I didn't think so."

Lorelai gripped the cell phone harder at the tone of satisfaction in her mother's voice. "Actually, Mom, I do. I had to pick up someone to bring to dinner."

"Bring to dinner?" The sudden confusion was _much_ better than the satisfied tone.

"Yes, dinner. We're still on for dinner, right, Mom?"

"I – well of course, we are, Lorelai, don't be smart. Who are you bringing?"

"Well, I figured since Rory couldn't make it, I would bring a friend along."

"A friend? Which friend? Do I know them?"

"You've met before. Do you remember Luke Danes?"

Lorelai nearly dropped the house phone in her other hand at the strangled cry that came from it, and she heard "Lorelai! What are you doing?!" coming from Luke's voice on the phone.

"Luke? Yes, I remember. He seemed nice. Is he coming?"

"Nope, I just brought him up for fun. Want to know who's really coming?"

There was a pause on the other end of the cell phone, and Lorelai could see her mother struggling with it. Finally, Emily said, "Don't play games with me, Lorelai. Is Luke coming or not?"

"Yes, Mom, he's coming."

"No! No, he's not!" Lorelai heard Luke's panicked voice yelling from the house phone.

"Fine. I'll expect you here in no more than fifteen minutes."

"Mom, it takes twenty minutes to drive there."

"Well then, you should've left on time, shouldn't you have, Lorelai?" The phone hung up.

Lorelai sighed and brought the house phone back to her ear. "Luke?"

"Lorelai, what the hell do you think you're doing?!"

Lorelai bit her lip. "Oh, Luke, I'm sorry, I couldn't think of anything else! It just came out!"

"You couldn't – are you insane?!" Luke's voice was getting louder, if possible, and Lorelai winced. She saw Rory standing by the stairs, her arms folded. Rory cocked an eyebrow and gave her a meaningful look. Lorelai shooed her away and turned back to the phone. "I really am sorry, Luke, I didn't mean to! She was just making me so mad, like it's my fault I'm late –"

"It is your fault," he said gruffly, though at least at a normal sound level.

"Well, yes, but – Luke, you couldn't possibly expect me to go through an entire dinner with the two of them alone, could you? Especially now that they're bickering constantly, it would've been World War IV all over again."

"Lorelai, there was no –"he stopped mid-sentence and sighed.

"Please come," she said in a small voice. "I need you there, I – I don't want to go by myself."

He softened at the tone her voice had taken on, and it both surprised and made him crazy, that she could do that to him so easily. "I swear, if this is just a ploy to get me to agree –"

"It's not," she said quietly, and sighed, rubbing her forehead. "I hate being around them when they're fighting, which is pretty much all the time now." She placed the cell phone on the table and stared at it for a moment. "Please, Luke."

She heard nothing for a moment, and was about to resort to full-fledged begging, when he said gruffly, "What do I have to wear?"

* * *

The diner lights were off when Lorelai showed up at the door, knocking repeatedly and ignoring Luke's calls from the back that he'd be there in a second, just wait, hang on a sec, dammit, _wait_, and finally he emerged from the apartment, striding into the kitchen to open the door. The look on his face changed to one of _I should've known_ when he saw her standing in the darkness, a huge grin on her face.

The first words out of his mouth as he opened the door were, "I can't believe you dragged me into this."

Lorelai's grin widened, if possible and as she stepped into the diner, she said, "Oh, come on. It won't be that bad."

"Then why don't you go by yourself?" he grumbled, heading into the apartment to put on his shoes.

"It won't be that bad in the way that the Alamo wasn't that bad." She followed him in and leaned on the doorframe as he sat on the bad, tying one shoe.

"How are you suddenly making historical references?" He pulled on the other shoe.

She shrugged as he looked up at her. "Must be my extensive knowledge of events prior to the 1600's."

"The Alamo was in the 1800's."

"It's still relevant today, is it not?"

Luke sighed. He finished tying his shoes and stood up, meeting her eyes. There was silence for a moment, then, "How do I look?"

A smile spread across Lorelai's face. She didn't answer, but walked toward him, her eyes never leaving his. He felt himself grow nervous as she slid her arms around his waist and kissed him softly, gently on the mouth, her lips barely brushing his with an intensity that made him weak. She gave him a quick, mischievous smile and said, "You look great. They'll love you."

Luke became even more nervous at this comment. He suddenly remembered exactly why he was standing in his bedroom with Lorelai (a thought that registered somewhere in the back of his mind) asking her how he looked (where had _that_ come from, anyway?) because he was going to dinner with Lorelai to her parents' house. Her _parents_. He remembered all the times she'd stumbled into the diner post-Friday night dinners and rambles for hours about the traumatic experience. He remembered handing her a cup of coffee silently as soon as she walked in the door and proceeding to wipe down the counters, clean up the tables, manage the books, store the food, and generally do the late-night tasks required of him while she talked. She didn't really care if he listened or not; she just needed to get it out of her system. And boy, there was a lot to get out.

Rubbing her shoulders gently, Luke sighed and said, "I hope so."

Lorelai peered up at him. "Hey," she said softly. "What is it?"

"It's nothing. Forget it; let's go. I don't want them to not like me by association of you being late." He gave her a half-hearted smile and took his jacket from the bed and walked past her to leave down the stairs, but she took his arm at the head of the stairs and stopped him. "Wait," she said, coming up behind him. She turned him to face her gently and searched his eyes. Luke looked down and tried to ignore her probing look, but when she reached up and touched his face to turn it toward her, he knew there was no escaping.

"Are you – are you nervous about having dinner with my parents?"

Luke sighed. How did she _do_ that, damn it?

"I just want them to like me," he said gruffly. "They are your parents after all –" he heard an "Unfortunately," from under her breath – "and I would prefer they like me than not."

"They do like you. My mom remembers you. She said you were nice," Lorelai smiled at him. "With her, that's kind of like asking you to marry me."

Luke stopped at these words, trying to figure out if he'd heard the right thing, when he processed that it was a joke. _Sarcasm. Come on Luke, you ought to know who you're dealing with by now._

Lorelai realized what had come out of her mouth, and gave a little laugh and looked down. "I mean, not that you – you have to marry me because she says so. Because, that would really be an incentive for you not to marry me. Not that she said you have to marry me, because, she didn't. So, I don't know why I brought up in the first place." She laughed again, a laugh about something incredibly unfunny, as she was aware, and slipped by him down the stairs. Luke followed in a bit of a daze, unsure as to what had just happened. He pushed it out of his mind to deal with later as Lorelai led the way to the Jeep parked outside. She turned briefly to grin at him as she opened the door to leave the diner, her eyes sparkling, before heading to the driver's side of the Jeep and climbing in. Luke took the passenger's side, and they drove away quietly.

* * *

"I don't want to go."

Luke sighed. "You've said that already."

"I have?"

"Repeatedly, if I remember. Some might say incessantly."

"Well, it needs to be heard."

"It has. Besides, we're almost there."

Pause.

"I don't want to go." There was a soft thunk as her head hit the steering wheel.

"Lorelai! Are you insane?!" Luke reached over to take the wheel and shake her by the shoulder at the same time, a difficult attempt.

Her head slowly came back up. "We're at a red light, chill. And don't tell me you weren't thinking it."

"What?" He turned to look at her defensively, and she grinned. "I never said I didn't want to go!"

"No, actually, I think the words used were 'No! No, I'm not!' at my suggestion you might come."

"It wasn't a suggestion, it was a declaration."

"Let me put it this way: if I'd asked you, would you have come?"

Luke said nothing, folding his arms and staring hard at the road in front of them.

"A-ha!" Lorelai raised a finger in the air triumphantly. "I knew it. What excuse would you have used?"

Luke sat in silence for a moment, then mumbled something.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that."

"Had to balance the books."

"Ah, a classic." She settled back against the seat. "That's why I love you."

Luke froze for the second time that night. She really wasn't going to make this any easier on him, was she? Lorelai's mouth opened a little when she realized what she'd said, then turned into a smile. She leaned toward him wordlessly and kissed him softly, and he gripped the door handle as the kiss deepened. She pulled away after a moment. "I like saying that," she whispered, her eyes dancing mischievously.

"I like hearing it," Luke replied without thinking, and Lorelai leaned in again, her lips barely brushing against his when a loud car horn startled the both of them, and she leapt back.

"Jesus!" Luke jumped against the seatbelt as Lorelai gunned the engine and the car lurched forward. She started laughing after a moment, and Luke glared at her. "Are you crazy?"

"Quite possibly, yes." She glanced at him and laughed again. "Oh, come on. You don't think that was the least bit funny?"

"We could've been killed."

"For making out in the middle of the road." Lorelai grinned at him and then covered her mouth, laughing again. Luke looked at her in disbelief, then looked back at the road, shaking his head. Lorelai cracked up.

* * *

"Lorelai, ring the bell."

She gave him a pouty look, making her wide eyes even bigger and jutting out her lower lip.

"That isn't going to work."

Lorelai stepped toward him, her face turning from cute to seductive in a flash, and Luke marveled at the admitted talent she possessed. She laid her hands on his chest and threw back her hair, her eyes narrowing.

"Not working."

She leaned in and began kissing his neck softly, sinking her teeth in every few times for a gentle bite, and he shivered as she slipped her arms around his waist.

"Lorelai –"

She trailed kisses up his neck, tracing his jaw with her lips and finally working her way to his mouth.

"Lorelai – geez – are you – are you insane?" He tried to step away from her, but her grip tightened.

"Take me home," she said with a slow grin, batting her eyelashes at him.

"Lorelai!" He tried to push her off in the gentlest way possible, and she reluctantly loosened her grasp on his waist. "We're on your parents' front porch, for God's sake."

"I don't wanna go," she whined, leaning her forehead on his shoulder. He softened considerably, though still annoyed.

"I _know_ that," he said, and he realized his arm was around her waist, and he was rubbing her back. How had that happened? "Just ring the damn doorbell. The sooner you do, the sooner it's over with."

"Ooh, dirty!" she said with delight, slipping away from him with a grin. Luke rolled his eyes.

"Can be more than six years old for say, five minutes?"

In response, Lorelai turned swiftly and reached over to press the doorbell, her finger hovering over the button. She raised her eyebrows at him. "Happy now?" she said, pouting.

However, before she could press down, the door swung open and Lorelai jumped a foot in the air, startled.

"Lorelai. What are you standing out here for?" Emily's voice said sharply as the door opened. She looked at her daughter with an expression of annoyance to give Luke a run for his money.

"I was – just – showing Luke the lovely, um, door." Lorelai said. "It's so...wooden."

"Imagine that." Emily was not amused. "Well come in, for goodness sake, the food's getting cold." She turned to Luke, who stiffened.

"Good to see you again, Luke," she said with a smile that Luke wasn't quite sure how to interpret.

"Good to see you, Mrs. Gilmore." He followed Lorelai inside, marveling once more at the elaborateness of the house as a maid came and tried to pull Luke's coat off him. He struggled for a minute before Lorelai leaned over and whispered, "It's okay, you can let go of the coat. It won't protect you, believe me." He gave her a look and finally managed to wrangle out of the coat, trying to hang it up himself, but the maid yanked it away from him and disappeared with it.

Emily led them into the diner, and Luke followed Lorelai to the table as they all sat down. The main who had stolen Luke's coat came out with wine for everyone, and Emily settled in her chair and smiled. "So Luke, do you still own that diner down where you live?"

He looked up from his plate and said hurriedly, "Oh, uh, yeah. Still there."

"And how is business?" Emily placed her napkin in her lap and took a sip of wine.

"Business – business is good. It's fine." Luke took a drink of wine as well, trying to avoid having to say anymore.

"What kind of food do you serve there?" Emily asked, setting down her wineglass, but Luke was saved by Lorelai, who cut in, "Mom, you don't have to interrogate him."

"I wasn't interrogating him, Lorelai. I was merely making friendly conversation."

"By questioning every move he makes at his job?"

"I was simply trying to find out more about the man my daughter is dating, if you don't mind." Emily looked at Lorelai pointedly.

Luke nearly choked on his wine at this statement, and Lorelai promptly dropped the wineglass she held in her hand, spreading a gold stain across the white tablecloth.

"Lorelai! Honestly, why can't you be careful? Rosa!" Emily called to the maid, who hurried in.

"My daughter has just demonstrated her clumsiness once more for us all, could you please clean it up?" Emily said. Rosa nodded quickly and hurried off to get a towel.

"Mom, we aren't – I mean – what are you talking about?" Lorelai stuttered, picking up the wineglass and setting it upright. Luke looked at Emily, who was wearing a smug smile.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous, Lorelai. Do you really think I didn't notice?"

"Notice - what, Mom?" Lorelai picked up her napkin and began twisting it in her hands. Luke closed his eyes; Lorelai was hardly a master at being discreet.

"The two of you! You must think I'm dumb as a brick, Lorelai. You're obviously together. I'm glad; it's certainly taken you long enough." Emily took another sip of wine as though that was the end of that.

"What – we aren't –"

"What she means is – it's not exactly –"

"Luke and I aren't – you don't –"

"It's not – well, we really don't –"

Lorelai and Luke stumbled over each other trying to get their protests out, but Emily simply sat back with the same air of smugness and watched their feeble attempt to refute her claim.

"Enough, the both of you. Dinner's here!" Rosa came back in with two butlers, all carrying assorted dishes of food, some of which Luke had never seen before. The servants spread it onto his plate, and he quickly became very preoccupied with eating slowly to finish every last piece on the plate. The rest of dinner was spent in what must have been an uncomfortable state for Luke and Lorelai, but not so for Emily, who ate cheerfully and commented often about how good the roast duck tasted, once even going so far as to compliment Rosa on her speedy service.

* * *

The house was dark as the Jeep pulled up to it, swinging glowing beams from the front of the car across the front windows. Lorelai switched off the ignition and the car settled into silence. She glanced over at Luke, who noticed her looking at him and met her eyes. She smiled, never breaking eye contact, and reached over to squeeze his hand. He smiled back, searching her bright blue eyes carefully, finding nothing but what he recognized as seeing in his own ever since he'd embarked on this with her – happiness. It was incredible, looking at someone and seeing that _you_ made them feel this way, and Luke reached over with his free arm, sliding it behind her and around her waist, and pulled her to him. She gave a little squeal as he wordlessly called to her, and she slipped into his lap, resting her head against his shoulder, and for once, she stayed quiet, folding herself into his arms. Luke felt her breathing against his chest, a rhythmic inhale and soft exhale that calmed him somehow, like there was nothing else in the world except Lorelai on his lap, sitting with him, breathing with him, and he closed his eyes, trying to memorize feeling he had about this moment, sure he wouldn't be able to feel quite like it again. Being calm, simply _existing_ with Lorelai touching him, resting on him, it was something he was afraid he'd never get the chance to feel for all those years, and now here she was...she was touching him softly, letting her fingertips brush across his wrist, examining the lines and the slopes of his hand, and he watched the intensity of her gaze across his hand. She took his hand in hers and traced the lines of his palm with her finger, and he shuddered involuntarily, but she didn't seem to notice. Her fingers gently danced around his palm, and they both laughed softly as she attempted to waltz with her pointer and middle fingers across his hand. She turned it over in hers and brought it up to her lips, laying soft kisses on his knuckles, and Luke watched in half-admiration, half-confusion. This woman...he would never understand her completely, and yet somehow, he was okay with that.

When she finished with his hand, she set in his lap and laced her fingers through it, nestling her head back onto his shoulder, and kissing his cheek before resting it there. He could feel her soft curls tickling his face, and his arm around her wrapped even tighter, pulling her closer, even though he knew and she knew they couldn't be any closer in this position. Luke closed his eyes and exhaled softly, not wanting to stir her, and leaned his head back against the seat, relaxing for the first time all night.

They sat in stillness for what seems like forever, and Luke looked out the window at the Gilmore house in silence, watching the glow of the porch lights spread a dim burst of orange across the porch, the only light in the otherwise dark house. He took in the details he never noticed before about this, about her home – like the fact that the doorframe was painted white, and at the top the paint had chipped away to reveal wood like skin underneath. The curtains fell lazily across the front windows, unmoving, though Luke half-expected them to shift at any second from some unknown ghost-like apparition that might haunt the house, if Lorelai had her way. He realized a second later that this was a Lorelai thought, and the fact that he was having Lorelai thoughts lately was a detail he hadn't noticed until just now, with her breathing regulated into him, and he wondered briefly if she was asleep in his arms, and when he leaned his head against hers, kissed her hair softly, he realized she was, and he wanted her to be.

The last thing he remembered was watching the porch lights twinkle at him in the darkness, and Lorelai's heartbeat, steady against his chest.

* * *

When the sun was beating relentlessly against Luke's eyelids, he stiffened and blinked a few times, trying to get his bearings. There was something weighing down on him, so he couldn't move, and when he looked down and saw Lorelai asleep in his lap, her hand clutching his sleeve in her sleep, he jumped and hit his head on the window. Luke cursed under his breath, then quieted quickly. Lorelai stirred and made a sort of whimpering sound, but didn't move. Luke stared at her, then looked back to the house, as quiet as he remembered leaving it the night before, when they'd...fallen asleep in the Jeep after dinner.

Luke sighed and rubbed his forehead. He was completely stuck: he couldn't move Lorelai without waking her, not that he had all that inclination to move, really, but it would probably have to happen sometime, he knew. His eyes drifted to the clock on the radio in the Jeep, and he cursed again. It was 8am, no one was running the diner, he'd been gone all night, Lorelai had been gone all night - _oh, shit._

If Lorelai hadn't come home that night, what was Rory going to think?! He had no choice now; he rubbed Lorelai's bare shoulder gently, whispering to her. "Lorelai...wake up. Hey. Lorelai."

She whimpered again and her face twisted into a pout. Luke stopped for a moment in disbelief that she could pout in her _sleep_, but he shook his head and tried again.

"Lorelai, wake up...we have to go. We have to get up, it's eight 'o clock..."

"Too early," she mumbled against his neck, and her breath tickling his skin made him even more reluctant to wake her, especially knowing how she was pre-coffee, but he sighed and rubbed her shoulder again.

"We fell asleep in the car, Lorelai...wake up. Rory will be worried, I have to get to the diner, you have to get to the inn..."

At this her eyes opened and she blinked a few times. "The inn. Damn it, the inn!" She rubbed her eyes and contorted her face again, squeezing it into a scowl. She turned and tried to crawl off of him into the driver's seat, but too much movement this early in the morning only resulted in her splayed across the front seats. Luke bit down a laugh and placed his hands on her waist, and she flinched a little at the warmth of them through the thin shirt she wore to dinner last night, but she didn't push him away, and he helped her sit upright in the driver's seat, where she proceeded to lean her forehead against the steering wheel, a mistake, Luke realized, when the blaring horn sets off in a loud, obnoxious beam of sound echoing throughout the morning.

"Damn it, Lorelai!" He reaches over to pull her off, and when she came back up he could see her laughing.

"You probably just woke up half the town," he grumbled.

"Ah, Taylor needed that. I can't wait til we see him in the diner and he starts going off about it." She laughed again at the thought, then quieted, staring out the window at the sleepy stillness of the morning. After a moment, she spoke. "You know, this seems to keep happening," she said, and air of something Luke couldn't quite identify crept into her voice.

"What, you getting us into trouble by leaning on the steering wheel?" He wasn't sure where this was going, but knew it to be more than taken at face value when her voice took on that tone, whatever the hell it was. He was surprised he could recognize such a thing, even if he couldn't identify it, surprised at all the things he was learning about her.

She laughed at his reply. "No. Well, that too," she added, "But I meant...this other thing. Us falling asleep together. Spending the night together."

Luke froze, and had to swallow hard before answering. Where exactly was she going with this? It made him nervous, trekking into unknown territory with Lorelai.

"Well, last night sort of happened by default..." he said, unsure if this was even the remotely right thing to say. It must've worked on some level, because Lorelai laughed again, with a laugh that didn't really reach her eyes.

"I guess so," she said, smiling briefly. She turned away to look out the window once more, and Luke watched the reflections of the sunlight against her dark hair, playing off the waves and projecting back into the glass of the window.

Luke sighed. He knew now there was something wrong, but he hadn't the slightest idea what it was or how to fix it. They had been doing so well, he was able to pick up thing about her he wouldn't have been able to not long ago, and now she had to go and be all cryptic about it?

"Hey," he said, and it came out gruffer than he meant it to, but in what he hoped was a gentle tone, at least. She turned to him, and met his eyes for a moment. "What is it?" he said, reaching over unconsciously and taking her hand, covering it with his own.

"It's nothing. Forget it." She smiled again and closed her eyes, looking away again.

Luke was frustrated. Now, of course, there was something incredibly wrong, and he'd be damned if he didn't get it out of her, no matter how stubborn she was going to be.

"Lorelai." He said her name with an air of urgency mixed with softness, as not to push, but rather, pry. She turned to him once more and searched his eyes for a moment, and Luke hoped to God he looked as worried as he possibly could.

"It's just –" _Thank God_, Luke thought – "I just...well, don't you think...I mean, we keep spending the night together...I like that. I like...I like sleeping with you," she said softly. Luke wanted badly to reach over and touch her face with the fragility she said this with, the softness beneath that sharp-tongued shell she insisted on showing to everyone. "I like it, and I like this," she continued, playing with the hand he had given her, turning it over and over again in her own smaller hand. "I...I think that, if we – if we wanted – if you wanted, I mean – that is to say, I..." she took a deep breath and raised her head to meet his eyes. "I think I'm ready," she said softly.

Luke's mind reeled at these words, words giving him...was _permission_ the right word? for something he had never thought possible, something that, he had to admit, scared him more than anything else, and was something he wanted nearly more than anything else as well. He took in a shaky breath and looked at her carefully, her expression of fear mixed with a tumble _of Oh-God-I-can't-believe-I-just-said-that_. He wasn't sure exactly what he was supposed to say in this situation – what did he _say_, damn it? Luckily, he never found out because Lorelai started talking again, and the rambling quality was evident as soon as the words came flying out of her mouth.

"I mean, not right this second, of course –"she laughed a little, more nervous than he thought he'd ever seen her – "Because, the timing is obviously not ideal, since it's early in the morning –"Luke didn't bother to point out that in no way did eight AM qualify as early – "and it would be really uncomfortable, I mean, this car is small, and it's not really made for that type of thing – but then, what car is? Except maybe limos, I guess," she added thoughtfully, "because they're big, and you can stretch out in them, and wow, I'm really wishing I had stopped when things were uncomfortable and not after I pushed them into the land of unbearable." She laughed again and looked away, and Luke sat perfectly still, staring at his hands. There was silence in the car for a moment, then Luke finally spoke.

"I'm ready, too." He wanted to sink into the seat of the Jeep as soon as the words were out of his mouth, and he stared hard outside the window, concentrating on the chipped paint of the doorframe, noticing it made a little triangle shape on the corner. He jumped when he felt Lorelai's hand touch his face gently, and when he turned back to her, her mouth was curved into a grin, not mischievous, like every other time he'd seen that grin, but rather...happiness. Just happiness again, and he was finding there was nothing better in the world than seeing that kind of smile on Lorelai's face.

"I'm glad," she whispered, and pulled him toward her, their lips meeting softly, and she sunk into his kiss in the blinding sun of the morning streaming through the windows.

* * *

**Author's Note:** This one is just as long as chapter four and took about a third of time to get up, hehe! I was originally going to make this even longer, but decided against it, as the timeline wouldn't allow for a smooth transition. Please let me know what you think; I'm not sure how I feel about the overall turnout of this one. Thanks for reading :)


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